Back For Good
by mydeadlylover
Summary: sequel to Always Be. The Wammy children are now adults in the outside world. story picks up from the LABB case. i suck at summaries...L/OC rating changed just to be safe. COMPLETE
1. And now we're Old

A/N: yay! The sequel to always be. Wow, I'm so damn tired to write right now but the idea stuck me.

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--Chapter 1--

--And now we're Old--

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"So was that really jam?" Lira asked as she set two mugs of steaming coffee on the table. She sat on a chair opposite he companion, Beyond Birthday. The younger boy nodded as he took as sip of his coffee, scowled, and reached for the sugar.

"Of course it's jam. It's not something disgusting as you may think," B answered as he piled up sugar on his coffee. He looked around for a teaspoon but can't find any.

"Can you give me a teaspoon please?" He requested of the woman in front of him and she obligingly stood up and searched for one in the countertop.

"So what are you planning to do now?" Lira asked as she handed the requested teaspoon and sat back to her place.

"Just one more person will die and it will be over for me," B answered thoughtfully.

"Meaning?" Lira asked cocking an eyebrow. This is not the first time they have discussed this matter but she was still determined to change the mind of the person before her.

"You know very well what I mean. We've already been through this several times," B replied.

"What about that detective? Misora, isn't it?" Lira asked, changing the subject.

"Well she's got her heart in the right place, but she's completely under that bastard's control," B snorted as he took another sip of his coffee and once again, reached for the sugar.

"You mean L?" Lira interjected as B dropped several cubes of sugar into his coffee.

"Don't say his name. I know that you're utterly in love with the bastard but don't say his name in front of me. I want to hate him properly," B said as he stirred his coffee.

"I think that's too much already," Lira said pointing at the mug of coffee.

"It's perfectly normal, you know," B answered sipping coffee from the mug and smiling contentedly. Lira just scowled at him and drank her coffee too.

It has been a few years now since they had left the orphanage. Lira had then been separated from L who was always accompanied by Mr. Wammy who is now known to everyone in the law enforcement line as Watari, the only person who is able to contact the famed detective L. On the other hand, Lira went under the service of an organization which allows her to follow L while working since she was given the freewill to choose which assignments to take. So far, Lira had followed the man she loves almost around the globe and now, she is in Los Angeles, California living in a condominium unit for two with her former 'son' in the orphanage, Beyond Birthday who is now the prime suspect (in L's eyes, that is) in the LABB case. It involved a series of mysterious murders of people with repeating initials.

Ever since B left The Wammy House a year after Lira and L did, he had set out to find lira and had since been living with her. He had then formulated his plan to outwit L. You see, a detective's greatest downfall is when he fails to solve a case and that's when B comes into the picture. The whole LABB case was his brilliant plan to finally put an end to all of L's greatness. L would never find out who the suspect is for B was willing to give up his own life just to give L the downfall he think he deserves and Lira knew too much of the plan already and is opposed to the end that it will bring. She loves L but she also has this maternal love for B and deciding between the two would be pure torture.

"You will be telling your dearest, of course that it is me," B said as he brought his now empty mug into the sink and began washing it. "I believe that you will be meeting him tonight," he added.

"Tell me why you are doing this," Lira asked in a serious tone as she brought her mug into the sink too and B began washing it. She walked over to the living room and picked up her coat which is hanging by the arm of the sofa and put it on. She then faced B who was standing there and looking at her.

"Just because. You must go now before it gets too dark. I will be waiting for you," B said, staring at her from head to toe.

"There is no need to wait for me. I might be late tonight," Lira said and walked over to the door.

"I wonder what my mom is doing with that boyfriend of hers when they are alone," B said in a mock thoughtful voice.

"It's none of your dirty mind's business," Lira replied and closed the door after her, leaving B, standing there, smirking in the living room.

It was a cold night that time and Lira hugged herself as she walked down the streets of Los Angeles scattered with late-night stragglers moving from one bar to another. Occasionally, she looked back to see if anyone is following her. It has been her instinct as a spy that dictates her to do this and above that, she is going to visit the world's greatest detective whose identity is unknown to the world but only to the select people whom he trusts.

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A/N: I don't know if it could be called a cliffhanger….lolz….anyway, the next update will be after….uhm…I don't know exactly when…this chapter alone took me three weeks, do you know that?! Haha…I'm so slow in fanfics nowadays, so I really wanted to say sorry to those who waited. I hope you will like this sequel as much as you liked Always be…

On the next chapter: Lira visits L and reveals vital information connected to the LABB case.


	2. A Visit to Strawberry san

A/N: second chapter! Yay!! I know I update way too long than before but that's because I've got school…you know how much pain in the head that brings? Well don't ask but I do enjoy school now….new environment, new stuff to learn…I'm in love right now with my programming subject so forgive me if I include stuff about IT from now on…ok, the chapter…

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--Chapter 2--

--A Visit to Strawberry-san--

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Lira walked along the pavement of the dark alleyway of Los Angeles, hugging herself as the cold wind blew. Living with B had been a challenge for her since she had to lie low for a while. After all, he is L's number one suspect and living with the number one suspect of the world's greatest detective who can command the world's entire police force with only one word is no joke. It meant that she had fewer opportunities to do what she wanted for, after all, she's living with a manic killer. She spotted a novelty shop and opened the door. The wind blew inside the shop as she entered, leaving a cold draft of air. It has been her job to buy the weird straw dolls that B leaves at the crime scenes. She made her purchase as quickly as she can so that the shopkeeper would not register her face. She doesn't want any witnesses saying that she bought those horrible-looking straw dolls to begin with. It was so easy to mislead the police these days that she had to go to different novelty shops to buy them.

After she had made her exit from that dingy novelty shop, Lira continued walking until she reached the busiest part of the district. She spotted her destination and entered the tall hotel building. She dared not make any eye contact. It had been part of her instructions as a spy not to make too much eye contact because it means that you trust them. And spies choose not to trust anybody else. She rummaged in her handbag for that piece of paper where she had written down the room number of her "Strawberry-san". She really loved reminiscing those days when they can still see each other any time at The Wammy House. She particularly remembered the day when they left the orphanage for that was the day that they also made that promise.

"_Why do you have to push me?" he asked in a sleepy voice._

"_Because we are going to be late, strawberry-san," Lira said, standing up and crossing the room towards the mirror._

"_I thought we had a deal about that name?" L asked as he scratched his head sleepily and stood up. There was no point in going back to sleep. And he simply couldn't go back anymore because he's not much of a sleeper in the first place._

"_Well, I figured out that since we are going to part it'll bring you no harm to call you strawberry-san. And anyway, you live under several hideous pseudonyms that it confuses me sometimes what to call you. Also, L in my opinion is not a very proper name. So, I decided that from now on, I will call you strawberry-san," Lira explained as she pranced in front of the mirror, checking her outfit as much as she could._

"_Stop that, will you?" L called from behind and Lira turned to look at him with concern._

"_If it bothers you," she said and looked at him._

"_What?" she asked._

"_You said that from now on you will be calling me strawberry-san, am I right?" L asked._

"_Yes, I said that," Lira nodded._

"_Then promise me one thing," L raised a finger for emphasis._

"_Which is?"_

"_That you'll be the only one calling me by that name," L said in that monotonous voice of his. _

"_Sure, nobody knows anything about that name anyway, and you officially don't exist in my world based on material memorabilia," Lira replied turning to face the mirror again. She could be so vain in times like this._

"_I said stop that," L repeated._

"_Oh, wait! You really are a very unfair person! Until the very last minute you're still making it very unfair in my side!" Lira said pointing a finger accusingly at L who backed a few steps away. He's been too used to Lira's outbursts that he had learned when to back away._

"_What did I do now?" L asked as he stared at the finger with caution wondering what horrors it could bring to him if he answered wrongly._

"_You have to call me something too!" Lira replied, lowering a finger a bit._

"_Huh?" L asked. He could be so ignorant sometimes._

"_A pet name! I call you strawberry-san and you call me something too! Not Shadow though. I hate that name. Come on! Think! The world's greatest detective should never run out of ideas!" Lira urged L to think and L, following the command pondered for a moment before he spoke out._

"_I got it! I know now what to call you," he stated, approaching Lira, their faces too close to each other._

"_And what is that?" Lira asked knowing what would be next to come. The past years with L made his sudden assertiveness clearly readable to her. L leaned in and kissed her lightly in the lips which made Lira blush a little._

"_Baby," L said simply and stuck out his tongue. Lira blushed even more after that._

Before she knew it, she found herself in front of room 214 of a popular hotel chain in the country and stretched out her hand and knocked softly at the door. She was greeted by the wrinkled yet ever so cheerful face of Mr. Wammy more popularly known to the police force as Watari, the only connection to the world's greatest detective, L.

"Come in, Shadow," the old man said as he held the door open for Lira. Lira scowled as she entered the door which was promptly closed by Watari.

"Old habits die hard, huh? How many times do I have to tell you that I feel like a billiard player when you call me that name? Where is Strawberry-san?" Lira asked as she took off her coat and hung it at the coat hanger. The old man chuckled as he pointed the direction of where the famed detective was. She walked in tiptoe to where L was and when she was closed enough, she covered his eyes with her hands. L reached up and felt her hand and mumbled quietly through his giant lollipop.

"It's my baby," L replied and Lira removed her hands from his eyes in defeat.

"It's unfair that I am the one visiting you," Lira pouted as she sat down the couch next to L in front of the computer.

"And what will await me if ever I visit you? B might just get overly excited and kill me right away. That will just remove all of the fun from our little game," L said as he offered a bowl of chocolate-coated marshmallows to Lira which she gladly took and settled on her lap as she watched L compose an e-mail to Misora Naomi.

"So you're still controlling that Naomi girl huh?" Lira remarked as she read what L was typing on the screen.

"You make it sad like it's a bad thing," L replied, never averting his gaze from the monitor.

"Well, I get jealous you know," Lira said, chewing on a marshmallow as she did so.

"Don't. Remember that you are the only girl I will like," L said, staring straight into Lira's eyes with a slight smile on his face. Lira returned the smile, blushing.

"So how's it been living with B?" L asked averting his gaze back into the monitor and continued to type the e-mail.

"We've been very low profile because of you. B's your number one suspect so he tends to hide in the dark. And I just felt that I should be there for him."

"You really are ready to be a mother. However I am not sure who will father your children," L said in a somehow thoughtful voice.

"If it's not you I'd rather not have any children," Lira said, holding L's arm. The detective turned to look at her and for the first time in years, he smiled.

"Will you supply me with information once again?" L asked as he continued to look into those beautiful yes of the girl before him.

"As much as I can, of course I'll help. It has been natural to me now to act as the bridge between you and B," Lira replied.

"Then for tonight, I have only one question for you. What is B's favorite manga?" L asked in a very, very serious tone. Lira was taken aback by the question but answered it anyway.

"Akazukin Cha-cha. Why?" She replied with a puzzled look on her face.

"Thank you. That will greatly help on our investigation. Incidentally, does he have the final volume of the manga?" L asked still in that serious tone.

"Yes, he's got the whole series completed, why?"

"Do you mind bringing it here? I kinda missed the final volume and I really wanted to finish the series," L asked and lighted up his face a bit, something that only told Lira that he is pleading with her with those cute actions that only childish people would do to get what they want.

It was a bit past midnight when Lira left the hotel and walked down the empty streets leading to the place where she and B live. She was quite puzzled with the question L asked her but then she never bothered to ask L because for one thing, she knew she would never get a decent answer from him. L still liked to keep investigation matters as confidential as possible from other people including her.

"Akazukin Cha-cha, eh? You guys are still a lot similar than what you might think. You are both _insane_," Lira chuckled to herself as she turned a corner to take one of her usual shortcuts on the way home.

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A/N: Woohoo! Chapter 2 is finally finished after another two weeks! Yay! I'm currently running out of ideas because whenever an idea stuck me for this story, I never bothered to write them down. I really need to bring my notebook with me at school so that I can write during free time…lolz.. again, I wanted to apologize for the delay. We just finished our preliminaries this week and I've been studying hard for that…I really hope I pass coz I hate making up for failed grades. Anyway, I wanna ask you guys (specially information technology or computer science students) do you have a Turbo C on your PC? If so, can it be sent through the net, perhaps? I really need that language for practice, you see….PM me if it can be shared. Thanks in advance…


	3. The Demise of A Genius

A/N: how many weeks have passed already?! Really?! I don't know, I've lost track of how long it takes for me to update….anyway, I must tell all of you that I have not yet forgotten about my story…I'm just too darn busy,…so I must apologize to those who wait for my updates. Got particularly busy during the exams so I had no time to think of something for the third chapter (and studying really paid off!!)

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Disclaimer: to apologize for the lack of disclaimers in the past chapters, I would like to say that I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WISH! Though I do own a copy of the novel.

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--Chapter 3--

--Demise of a Genius--

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Lira watched with sorrow as the retreating back of B disappeared from the doorway. She was sure of what will happen next for they have been arguing about it ever since B started his meaningless killings. What was there to achieve from it, anyway? B would never even experience his satisfaction of beating L after he's done with his plan.

B had planned to perform his last act of killing on an apartment complex on a person, just like his former victims, who has the same letter as his or her initials. This time, he would kill himself. B had planned to end the Los Angeles BB Serial Killer Case with his life, thus, erasing any trace of him, just as what he did to the crime scenes he had left behind. B had figured out that if he died, the case will never be solved because L will never ever catch his suspect. L would forever be searching for him. There was no doubt that B had brains that could match the intelligence of L but Lira doubted from the very beginning whether the lad would use that intelligence like L had done.

And Lira's hunch was correct. Ever since he had left, or rather, ran away from the orphanage, he had put all his efforts and smarts to device a plan to give L the defeat he had promised to bring the detective once he had left the orphanage. The boy might have taken his parting words with L very deeply. But Lira have never thought it would go this far. She had tried to dissuade B several times, varying her attacks but B remained unmoved.

It's not that the innocent lives of Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen and Backyard Bottomslash did not matter to her but B is different. It would hurt more to lose someone whom you have grown attached to. Lira had treated B like her son or rather; a younger brother during their Wammy days and B was the only one who comforts her whenever L acts a little childish for her liking.

Lira sat at the sofa much like the couch that she used to sit on when she was still at the orphanage and stared for God knows how long at her phone lying on the table. She had been debating with herself whether to call L about her problem with B. The part of her that L likes to name her 'motherly side' got the best of her and she dialed L's line and heard the ringing sound on the other side. Watari picked up at the third ring. The disguised voice greeted her.

"This is Watari speaking," the voice said.

"Watari, this is Lira. Can I talk to L for a minute?" Lira said, in what she assumed was a calm voice.

"Oh, wait a minute then," Watari said and turned over the phone to L.

"Hello, what do you need, baby," L said in that disguised voice of his.

"Why do you still disguise your voice when you know very well that it's me?" Lira asked, frowning slightly.

"Unfortunately, I cannot change that because you called the line that disguises my voice. I cannot do anything about that, so, for the mean time, please bear with it," L explained from the other end. "Anyway, what is it that you want?" he asked.

"It's about B," Lira started.

"I figured out it would be something like that."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I already know what B is planning today. However, I will assure you that he would be arrested alive if possible. I had Wedy and Aiber already stationed in disguise at the complex," L explained from the other line.

"How did you know he was –", Lira's voice trailed of as she heard a faint chuckle from L's side.

"A father knows his son best. We are, after all, a family," L said. Even though L cannot see it, Lira smiled the kind of smile that she reserves only for L.

"Then I guess I'll just have to trust you," Lira replied and bid L goodbye before ending the call.

There was something in L that Lira could not help but trust him. But she still fears for B. What if Wedy and Aiber came a bit late? What if B had already killed himself?

Lira had decided that staying put in her house would not do her any good and decided to search for some stuff in her computer. While looking for some files in her computer, she stumbled upon her long forgotten resume. How long has it been since she had last searched for a job? That was quite a long time already since she had always been by B's side, supporting him. She decided to update it since, if L really kept his promise, she would like to stay by B's side even in prison. She does not care whether L calls her a mommy.

L had called back in the middle of the day and promised to call her to tell her what will happen. To tell her how the case would end. To be honest with herself, Lira thought that the only innocent ones in the case are the victims – Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen and Backyard Bottomslash – and Misora Naomi, L's supposed shield. L is an idiot that he is risking other's lives to protect himself. She cannot blame him. His identity staying as a secret will mean world peace, even though it might earn him a place on the world's best kept secrets 1.

She stayed at home the whole day in tenterhooks waiting to hear what would happen next for her next move will depend on what will happen. She had decided to stay with B in jail for how long it would take and if B died, she would leave the United States at once.

At about 7 in the evening, Lira's phone finally rang, displaying one of L's line numbers. Hand shaking, she picked up the phone.

"H – hello?" she asked.

"It's me," L's real voice answered back.

"Wh – what happened?" Lira asked fearing the worst.

"B's still alive but only just 2. He had tried to burn herself. Good thing Miss Misora got there before he actually died. She arrested him but he was really badly burned. We've sent him to the hospital under high security. I think you should get yourself a job at the state prison. I know how much you care for him and I won't tell you it's wrong to stay by his side. Just look after him, alright?" L said from his line and after a few more exchange of words, the ended the conversation.

Lira was right. She really should get a job at the prison. She then turned on her computer and proceeded to update her resume.

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A/N: 1 – there really is a book of the world's greatest secrets. I saw it while waiting for someone at the mall so I decided to stop by the bookstore and check out some new books and found these books at the very back of the store with titles like the world's greatest scandals, etc. and they are sold for a very cheap price so I bought one (the world's greatest ghosts since I really like reading about ghosts)

2 – I recently re-watched my Harry Potter movies and well, I sort of picked this line up from a dialogue of Tom Riddle.


	4. Beyond Iron Bars

A/N: ok, before I get on with the story, I would like to answer a question posed by someone. I commend that person for getting hold of my gmail account. Hmmmmn…sounds like something I would do. Well, anyway, that reader's question is how I come up with my concepts….well, the answer is that I take a bath….hmm….there's something about the smell of my bubble bath and the warm water that stimulates my mind to think….alright….end of author's note…..I'll get on with the story sometime later once I finished my activity for my class. update got lazy from writing comments and commenting about the differences of websites of different universities so I'll start writing right about now….

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Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note no matter how much I wished I do.

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--Chapter 4--

--Beyond Iron Bars--

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"I did not regret whatever it was that I have done," was B's first word as he saw the approaching figure of Lira from his cell in the prison. He was a pity to see, his face was unrecognizable as the clone of L for it looked like molten wax. As if it was melted down. His complexion was also that of a burned meat. Gone was the pale skin that he earned from staying indoors too much. Lira bit her lip at the sight of the battered figure of B and sat down in front of his cell.

"I never reprimanded you on whatever you have done the past weeks," Lira replied and stared into the ceiling. Looking at B made her feel miserable and worthless as his guardian.

"Well …" B's voice trailed off and faded away as if his own thought never caught up with him. He bit his bottom lip as if deep in thought. He looked at Lira who had settled down and was leaning against the wall.

"Why are you here?" he asked her, the words spilling out of his lips before he even knew it.

"I applied as a warden. After knowing that I was actually a product from Wammy's they stationed me here in your cell since its top security. They wanted me to talk to you and make you see sense. However, I do not think I could do that to you. You have always been so stubborn about your own decisions. And I respect you for that," Lira replied still staring at the ceiling, deep in thoughts.

"I thought you will go with L now that I am in prison," B said.

"L and I, we made a pact. I shall pursue him at my own whim. We have no commitments whatsoever. So, it has been my decision to stay with you till the end of your term here in prison," the young woman answered.

"But I have a lifetime sentence," B retorted.

"I am aware of that. And I have already come to my decision to stay with you. Like you, I am also stubborn," Lira answered with a faint smile as if declaring 'checkmate' 1 to her opponent.

"Well, do as you wish," B answered and slumped back to his cell. He felt unworthy of the care that the girl before him is showing him. He never knew what a family was but Lira was the closest possible one he could get to show him the value of paternal love. He could not cry. Crying only brings pain to his chest. But he felt so sorrowful because he felt like a hindrance in Lira's way. Somehow, he had learned to like her and even love her as his mother figure.

"Do you regret ever staying with me?" B asked after a few moments of silence. Lira gasped as though she was surprised by the sound of B's damaged voice.

"I shall be honest with you. There are times when I think why I'm still sticking together with you when you do such horrible things just to outwit L. But thinking back, I stuck with L even if it seems that he thinks that his job weighs more than what he feels for me. You and L are similar more than you think you do. So I do not regret being with you B. Because I also love you," Lira replied, and for the first time, she looked at B and smiled the kind of smile that she reserves only for the people that she knows best. Tears flowed silently down B's burned cheeks. Lira leaned as close as possible to B as the cold iron bars could permit.

"You know, when you cry like that, I remember the kid that L and I used to take care of, the kid who used to call us mom and dad. You know, I sometimes miss that child," Lira said reaching as far as she could. B reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Mom….I – I'm sorry," He whispered, trying to suppress the tears.

"You don't have to feel sorry. After all, we cannot redo whatever has happened," Lira said looking at B's trembling figure.

"But, I disappointed you," B sobbed. His figure made Lira remember the child that once slept with her and L inside a tent in the middle of the woods. Lira turned away. Looking at his damaged, crying figure makes her pity him even more. And she had promised L that she would not feel pity.

The days dragged by in the prison with almost the same routine with B crying his pitiful sorrows and confiding almost all of his woes, confessing his thoughts about L and almost everything that he felt sorry for to the only person he trusts: Lira. Lira listened, she was kind. She offered him her comforting words and told him that there's nothing to worry about. That she understood and that she knows that L had forgiven him no matter what he has done. But that wasn't exactly true. She knows that L's sense of justice is stronger than any other feeling he may hold inside of him. Somehow, L's personality is as dark and murky as the chocolates he so loved to eat.

It was just another day in Lira's duty in jail and she arrived once again at B's high security cell. She found the murderer slumped in a corner of his cell, staring into nothingness. The man started when he heard the click of Lira's shoes against the tiled floor.

"You were late," the man said conversationally.

"Wammy called," Lira said in reply.

"And so?" B asked raising an eyebrow, though it came unnoticed since his face had been badly burned that any contortions of his facial features were so hard to distinguish.

"He's worried about you. Never thought that this is what you were going to do after you left the orphanage without any notice. I think he was a bit disappointed but, I told him not to be," Lira explained. B snorted.

"The only time I heard him to be fully concerned of me," he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Huh?" Lira looked at him questioningly. Mr. Wammy cared about all the children in his orphanage, after all.

"All he bothered was to make a perfect carbon copy of L. He never cared what we fel – ," B's breath caught up in his throat as he felt a violent tug at his heart. He thrashed about in his cell as he gasped for breath.

"B, what's the matter?" Lira asked in panic. B was clearly in pain.

"My – my chest – ," B said, clutching at his chest and closing his eyes tightly, gritting at his teeth. The pain is becoming unbearable.

"H – Hold on! I'll call someone for help!" Lira said and made to run for the door leading to the main office.

"NO!" B screamed. "Mom, please stay h – here," He pleaded and groped for the metal bars but he cannot reach them. he heard the creak of metal and felt him being encircled in warm arms.

"Then I'll stay. But, B, you'll die," Lira said. B looked up and felt something wet drop and fall down his burned skin. He saw Lira crying.

"Mom, don't – don't cry. I've been meaning to d – die for so lo – long. It was j – just delayed for a bit," He tried to smile but he felt another tug at his heart and he gasped for breath once again.

"B!" Lira screamed, clutching him even tighter.

"When I die, then you could finally b – be happy wi – with L. Don't you like that, mom?" B asked.

"But I want to lose you too!" Lira wept. B felt the final tug and his eyes widened.

"I – I love you, Lira," he said before finally closing his eyes for all of eternity, never to open again.

January 21, 2004, the prime suspect of the Los Angeles Secret Killer case had died of a mysterious heart attack. Beyond Birthday's medical record was clean. He had no history of heart illness whatsoever and his death was one big mystery. It was something that was a part of the plan of someone who wants to play god.

B had died happy knowing that he had given way for Lira's happiness with L. He had loved Lira though he was not sure whether it was maternal love or something far more than that. A lone tear trickled down L's pale cheek as he heard the news of B's death from Lira who was crying bitterly at the other end of the line. L's hand rose up to wipe off the salty liquid from his face.

"Strange. Why am I crying?" the world famous detective asked himself.

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A/N: holy s! 3 weeks to finish one chapter! There must be something seriously wrong with me. So, those who were waiting (if there are any) for an update, sorry to keep you waiting. Now, I must say that I cannot update until October because we have tons of school work to do (3 programs to write, one karaoke-style presentation to finish, a report to submit and some serious catching up with grades to pass the semester) them college professors are too demanding!! so, please guys, bear with me, onegai!


	5. Danuve

A/N: Yeah, so I promised to update in October, right?! So here is my update…expect more frequent updates for the next three weeks coz…It's sembreak, baby!

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Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.

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--Chapter 5--

--Danuve--

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Lira gave the dilapidated room that she had inhabited with B a last lingering look. That would be the last time she would be seeing it. Yesterday, she had received a call from L saying that he would be going to Japan for some king of weird murder case that he was asked to solve by the Japanese police. Lira scoffed at this information. A killer that the police cannot track? Now that is something new to her. It was usually L who chose his cases and was seldom pleaded to by the police so it was a surprise when a police force from the other side of the globe pleaded with L to come there and solve a case for them.

Later on that evening, Watari dropped her a line to ask her to come with them to Japan. Watari had asked Lira to provide L with protection while traveling and also while they are in Japan. The killer, "Kira", as they call him seems to possess some incredible ability to kill his victims without even touching them. That fact actually surprised Lira. A killer with that ability is near – godlike. That was the first thought that entered her mind. No, wait, that could be wrong. No one has ever been near godlike in history. He just simply abuses the power given to him. That could be it. Lira had then agreed with Watari because she also feared for L's safety. They still _do _love each other though there is no commitment between the two of them.

And so, that night, Lira packed up her things and made the place as clean as possible. There was no point whatsoever in staying there, anyway. There was no more B that she was supposed to take care of and staying there just brings back his memories. Watari ad booked her a ticket and she is leaving with the same flight as they are and her lodgings in Japan had been pre-arranged as well since she can't stay with Watari and L. They'll be constantly moving for privacy.

Lira met up with the two at the airport at exactly ten in the morning. She would be saying goodbye for now to Los Angeles. L stared at her for a moment, studying her appearance before smiling slightly, "Thanks for coming along," the world-famous detective said in a low voice and offered her a lollipop. Lira accepted it and offered a smile to the detective. He always reminded Lira of a child who had difficulties expressing his feelings, yet she _had _come to love _this _particular man. Ah, the wonders of love.

As the little group boarded the plane and went into the luxury area of the plane, L grabbed Lira's hand which startled the girl. Lira looked at their entwined hands and then to the detective who had a slight shade of pink on his cheeks.

"I missed you. Could you sit beside me?" The detective asked in a flat voice. Lira's brows furrowed but she smiled and L took that as an initiative to drag her down the isle to their seat. Watari shot a glance at their direction and quickly took the seat somewhere far away from where they were sitting. The old man probably wanted to give the couple a little privacy since it was such a long time since the two had time for each other.

As soon as they had settled down, L rested his head on Lira's shoulder, never letting go of her hand. Lira was once again startled by this unusual movement by the detective and tried to look at him without his head falling off.

"I'm so tired, can I rest my head here?" L asked.

"S- sure," Lira muttered. He's human after all no matter how much sleep-deprived he may be.

"And, baby, can I ask you one thing?" L asked a few moments after the plane took off. Lira was so sure he had dozed off.

"What is it?" the girl asked.

"While I am on this Kira case, can you please take over as Danuve?" L stated.

"Bu – but, why me?" Lira asked, her eyes widening. L finally sat up and stared at her, tightening his grip on her hand.

"You're the only one, aside from Watari that I trust the most," he answered simply.

"But why are you asking me to take over?" Lira was still puzzled by the detective's request.

"To confuse Kira. He would surely be searching for me and the last thing we want is him finding out that I am the three greatest detectives in the world," L elaborated.

"When you say 'take over', do you mean I also have to solve cases?" Lira asked.

"Of course, it's part of the job description," L said much like an employer to an applicant.

"But, L you know that I'm a spy, right?" Lira asked as if L was suddenly forgetting who she was.

"I am aware of that but I am confident that you also have a detective's skill," L smiled slightly at the girl before him. Lira bit her lip.

"But not as good as yours!" she retorted.

"And that is why Danuve is only on third place," L said. When Lira did not reply, L tightened his grip even more on her hand so as to comfort her. "So, are you willing to take the job?"

"I – I … Alright, I'll take the job but cannot guarantee you success," Lira managed to stammer.

"Danuve losing his job does not matter to me. After all, there's still the original L and Erald Coil. What matters for me is that we both stay safe from Kira. He's a dangerous killer. I shall win against him," L said and with that, he took Lira's lips in a kiss. Lira gasped at L's sudden move. It had been years since they last kissed that she had quite forgotten what it felt like, the sensations that it brings her. How it could make her feel several feelings all at once. After a few moments later, L let go of her. "I missed the days when we could do that almost every day," L smirked.

"You're really a pervert, huh?" Lira sighed.

"Maybe I am. But you fell for this pervert," L raised his eyebrow.

"Because he's the best choice I have," Lira smiled. It was now her turn to rest her head on the man's shoulder. L stiffened at this.

"Would you just relax? How can I rest if you're all stiff like that?" Lira exclaimed and L relaxed a little.

"It's just that I'm not used to having you beside me anymore. We always should be apart for our own safety," L explained.

"However, we made a promise back in the orphanage and I think we are nowhere near breaking it, right?" Lira said, snuggling closer to L.

"I suppose so," L said and he finally let Lira sleep on his thin shoulder.

* * *

A/N: I think this is long enough (well, heck, I double spaced it while typing to create an illusion that I'm doing a lot, lol). So, I finally have a break after so much work back at school so I'm saying goodbye for now to all those crappy programming languages that we study back at school. So, dear readers, here is my promised update I hope to update more often for the next three weeks since I would be totally free for those three weeks. And, yeah, this might be my final Death Note fic. I might be moving on to another category after this (Naruto, perhaps). So, yeah, I hope you like this one!


	6. Sensei?

A/N: yeah, so I was wrong. I didn't know that sembreak would be that busy with all that traveling and such and that was against the better part of my judgement. Ok so start. Currently watching: blood+. Song currently playing: Haruka Kanata by Asian Kung Fu generation. Currently reading: Naruto manga ch. 422.  


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Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.  


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---Chapter 6---

----Sensei? ----  


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Matt almost choked into his soda when Lira stated her proposal. It has been a week since Lira took a break from protecting L and decided to go visit the orphanage to check up on her boy. Yes, she calls them _hers_. Even though the boys she once took care of in the orphanage had grown past the time when they still call Lira their 'mother', nevertheless, they still hold great respect for her and listens to what she's saying. The boys had indeed grown. Matt, the eldest, had grown a great deal of height. His frame tall but not lanky which is quite common for those who have grown in orphanages. Well, that's according to those novels where the protagonist grew up alone and suddenly had the power to save the whole universe. No, Matt was not that kind of orphan and Lira absolutely doubted whether, if given the chance, he would even give a damn as to how the earth will end up. She was pretty sure that Matt would prefer sitting in the couch watching some movies than get his lazy bum off it and do some serious fighting. Perhaps Matt _did_ get his ass off the couch a fair few times since he has grown some muscles at the right places. And his stomach was not that of a die-hard couch potato. He was definitely doing something about it, Lira was quite sure of that. The goggles that Lira had left the kid years ago when they left is now worn as a head gear unlike when she first gave it to him that it was slipping his head. Lira's got to admit that it contrasted very well with his red hair which is mopped and has that soft 'just got out of bed' look.

Mello had also changed a lot. He's also grown a bit taller and had grown at the right places. And – Lira snorted into her drink when she first saw it – had developed a new sense in clothing style. Mello wears leather all over: leather vest, leather pants and leather boots that Lira had to wonder if the lad goes commando under all those clothes that she was sure would feel really hot against the skin. And, to Lira's utter horror, Mello completed the 'rebel' look with keeping his hair at shoulder length though his bands betrayed the look. He also wears the necklace that Lira gave him years ago. Lira almost had a nosebleed at how much a fashion disaster Mello had been. And she could only blame that to L who also got a 'weird' taste in clothes.

Near was the one has the least changes of the three. He still wore all white pajama-looking outfits and socks. His hair was still the same. It's still mopped and looked like he does not bother combing it or doing anything to it to make it look at least a little neater. His growth went unnoticed if not that he now reached Lira's hips in his sitting down position. It made Lira wonder if he ever practiced walking after she and L had left the orphanage.

The first time she saw them was when she came there and had talked to Watari's assistant and the boys just barged into the office without even bothering to knock. The blonde and the redhead stopped momentarily on their tracks and stared at Lira as if determining if she really is the real thing. When Lira grew tired of the staring, she raised her hand in greeting with a casual 'yo!' and smiling at her boys. Matt and Mello stared even longer and then shouted with glee, throwing their arms around their beloved 'elder sister', almost suffocating her in the process. When all the commotion had died down, Lira noticed an albino kid who was slumped on the floor, playing timidly with his hair.

"Is this – Near?" she asked the two boys beside her and both nodded. Lira walked over to the boy slumped on the floor and planted a kiss on his forehead which made the color on the boy's cheek turn a tinge of pink. She turned around to look at the other two and finally stated. "I missed you so much guys," and threw her arms open and encouraged another group hug.

That was a week ago and after that, the four did not waste any time on catching up on each other. Lira was glad to hear that her boys were living up to L's name and were actually the top three of the Wammy house, though she also knows that it could be a pain for them since everybody expects a lot from them. Matt was the only one who does not care what others expect him to do. He has managed to retain his happy-go-lucky side. Only Mello seemed to be the one taking the pressure. Maybe it was partly Lira's and L's fault that Mello thought that Near was everybody's favorite. But Lira wasted no time in feeling guilty about that. Mello should be old enough to realize that the world does not revolve around favoritism alone.

It was one of those catching-up sessions of the three that Matt fired a question. It was actually something that has been running through her head ever since she reached Japan. She was someone who gets bored so easily, anyway.

"So, you're going to take on one of L's names, huh?" Mello looked at her with admiration. He never thought that Lira could ever handle being a detective.

"Mmm-hmm. I'll be solving all of the cases filed under Danuve's name and, well, the usual stuff. What are you looking at?" Lira started when she saw all three pairs of eyes staring – no, _ogling_ at her.

"Alright, I get it, you don't trust me do you? You know I'll just mess up, right?" she said placing her hands in her hips.

"N – no! W – we just can't b – believe it!", Matt stuttered. He knew very well that when Lira has assumed that pose, it is not very wise to taunt her. He himself had been a usual outlet of that kind of rage years ago. And that Lira was only seventeen. He wouldn't like to see what an adult Lira can do.

"Yes, Matt is right, we believe in you!" Mello backed up his endangered friend and Near simply nodded as if wanting to disappear immediately into the background.

"Those aside, are you planning on doing anything else except being a detective?" Matt asked a little later when he knew that it would be safe again.

"Hmm, I have already thought of that, you know. I think that I can continue my job as spy and also, I think I would try my hand at teaching," Lira said thoughtfully. All of a sudden, another commotion exploded around Lira. Matt choked on his soda, and Mello was patting his best friend on the back and Near looked like he'd eaten something very nasty.

"What now?" Lira demanded.

"Are you really sure about that?" Mello asked when he was sure that Mass would not die of suffocation.

"Of course I am," Lira answered back.

"And what are you going to teach?" Matt asked. He knows Lira is good at a lot of things though he never knew if those things could fit in an academic curriculum.

"I'm going to apply as a professor in University. I'd like to teach programming for a change," Lira answered brightly. Mello chuckled.

"And what are you going to teach your students? How to hack on databases?" Mello asked cheekily.

"Of course not! I'd be sued if I do that! I'd be teaching them _real _programming of course!" Lira answered back.

"Sure, you'll teach them how to make viruses and then destroy that poor university's database in no time. That is programming, right?" Matt taunted.

"No! I'll not teach the students how to become criminals, you idiots!" Lira replied angrily.

"Duck!" Near shouted and Mello and Matt obliged missing Lira's throwing knives by a centimeter.

"Geez, you always carry your weapons with you, huh?" Mello said shakily as he was standing up.

"Of course. We never know when the enemy will show up," Lira said walking to the other side of the room and pulling out the throwing knives from the wall. Matt could barely remember when he last saw Lira throw a knife and it was not a very welcoming sight. The hole that the knife left in their room was still left unrepaired. Maybe some retarded idiot thought that it would be best left like that as a memento of sorts for Lira.

"And you're going to teach with that attitude of yours?" Matt raised an eyebrow at the girl opposite him.

"I'll try controlling myself once I started the job," Lira answered wondering if she could ever do that.

"May the Lord have mercy on your students," Mello muttered staring at the ceiling as if looking for God.

"Geez, and I thought Japanese education was really good," Matt added. A vein pulsed in Lira's forehead but the two best friends paid no attention to it.

"Ok, class, today I'll teach you all about the print command of doom!" Mello started with exaggerated arm movements.

"Oh, and we'll include the scan command of doom!" Matt added with a sinister look on his face.

"YOU GUYS!" Lira exploded with anger and another commotion ensued. Near crouched low and walked towards the door so as to avoid any injuries the fight may sustain.

"_Onegai sensei, tasukete kure!_" Matt mocked further in the background, ending in muffled shouts.  


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A/N: that's it for you guys. Geez, I almost abandoned this fic, you know I'm glad I picked up some ideas for a new chapter. As to why Lira chose to teach programming, it's because I sometimes see Lira's personality in my programming professor. That's all. Please check out my deviantart profile, especially the journal. The account is still mydeadlylover. Thanks.


	7. Contact

A/N: yea, I really know that everyone is fed up with me apologizing for the delay. The plot just kept slipping from my mind nowadays and I'm just too tired sometimes to be able to write so once again, honto ni gomenasai! I hope that some are still waiting for my updates.

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Discalimer: I do not own Death Note.

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----Chapter 7----

----Contact----

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The door creaked and L looked up from the computer monitor to see Lira entering the room, dragging her luggage followed by Watari. Lira only came back to Japan that day after asking L if she could take days off and go visit the three prodigies at the Wammy House. She just phoned in a few days ago saying that her arrival would be that day and L either too busy or Kira was just too eager to track him down for the detective to come out in the open and do something so simple yet so dangerous like pick Lira up from the airport.

Lira cast her luggage aside and threw her arms around the detective who had returned his gaze back to the computer screen, catching L by surprise. The detective's eyes grew wider than they originally were and his breath hitched. He placed a hand on hers and turned to look at the girl behind him.

"Don't just go hugging people like that, young lady," L said in a tone which resembled that of a father's scolding his daughter.

"Don't worry, the only one I hug like this is you," Lira smiled at the detective.

"Even so, you surprised me," L said with a little hint of frown in his impassive features.

"Sorry about that," Lira grinned as she let go of the detective and dragged a chair to sit beside him.

"So, how's the investigation going? I haven't heard of any developments while I was away," Lira asked taking a marshmallow from the bowl next to L. The detective scowled at her but answered.

"It would be too dangerous to send vital information when we don't know who could be intercepting your mail," L said in a matter of fact way before proceeding. "We have been monitoring the houses of the police officers that Ray Penber had been asked to tail but nobody seemed to be suspicious enough to be Kira," L explained.

"Ray Penber? Why? What happened to him?" Lira asked in a tone of worry.

"He died at a train station. It was heart attack according to the autopsy report. All the FBI agents sent here died too along with their commander. A few days later, Misora Naomi went missing. We have concluded that it is one of the members of the families that Penber had been tailing who did this so we set up surveillance cameras in their houses and watched them for a week for any suspicious activity but none was found so we removed them after the promised deadline," L said it all very fast as if he was reciting it all in his head. Lira clapped a hand on her mouth.

"Oh my god, Ray died and we are at a dead end? How… how?" Lira asked being lost for words.

"However, I think I know who Kira is. I just have to prove it," L said tapping at a photo displayed at the monitor. It was a photo of a boy with brown hair and handsome features. The boy was what Lira thought could be the perfect one to describe the Japanese term _bishounen_.

"Who is he?" Lira asked.

"Yagami Light. Son of chief Soichiro Yagami. A very smart boy, according to Ray's investigation and the person who rode the same bus that was hijacked days before Ray died. A wanted criminal died that day too. It seems that he rode the bus with Ray and it was one of the last suspicious incident that happened involving Ray before he passed away," L explained. "And also, I think Kira's been in contact with Misora. I don't think that she would commit suicide. She's made of stronger stuff than that. I think she was killed because she know a vital information that would help in the investigation. Kira got her before she could get here," he added.

"So you're saying that this kid's probably Kira?" Lira asked.

"Yes. He's going to be taking the entrance exam at Tou-oh at Sunday. I'm going to take that too as Hideki Ryuuga and if we both passed, it will be my chance to come in contact with him and see for myself if he is really Kira," L said in a voice of determination.

"Wait! Are you absolutely nuts? What if he is really Kira? You'll get yourself killed!" Lira retaliated.

"Don't you know that Kira needs a name and a face to kill? He's got my face, alright. And he's got a name. But only you and Watari knew about my real name. Hideki Ryuuga is not my real name, so if the star died of a heart attack, he's stupid enough to reveal that he's Kira," The detective explained.

"So you're putting an innocent man's life on the line just to get proof?" the woman asked incredulously.

"I doubt that he would be stupid enough to do what we wanted him to do. He already knows that he's under suspicion so he'll never do something like that to draw more attention to himself," L replied.

"But then, how are you going to prove that he's really Kira?" Lira asked.

"You'll see," L replied as he took another marshmallow from the bowl.

* * *

"L, I've got something to tell you," Lira said three days later. The detective nodded to show that he is listening.

"I secured a post as a professor at Tou-oh," Lira continued. L almost spat coffee on the monitor.

"You – WHAT?" he asked incredulously.

"What's so surprising about that?" Lira scowled.

"It's just that you're a tad bit _sadistic _to be a professor," L said regaining his composure.

"And what supposed to mean?" Lira asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"I thought you don't have enough patience to handle students, that's all. But I think that we can put your being a professor into good use during the investigation," L smiled slightly at Lira which the female returned.

* * *

The first job entrusted to Lira was for her to be one of the many proctors in the entrance examinations of Tou-oh University. L found it very beneficial mainly for the surveillance and monitoring of the Yagami boy's actions and as L had put it, she could put in the right answers if ever L made mistakes with the test items.

The day of the exams, Lira decided to commute to Tou-oh because it would look really suspicious if a proctor arrived with an examinee. As she watched the building outside of the train, she wondered what to expect of the handsome boy that was Yagami Light. Is he really evil that his looks had deceived everyone into thinking that he was actually a good boy, in all sense of the term? She got off at her station and started walking towards the university, it being a few blocks away from the station. This would be her first job as a professor so she better do it well and she also needs to protect L's identity if the kid really is Kira. She was mulling these thought over in her head when she bumped with someone.

"Oh, I'm really sorry, I wasn't looking at where I'm going," Lira apologized, bowing her head to the person she bumped.

"It's alright. Are you hurt, miss?" a deep voice answered back. Lira looked up to see that she was looking face to face with their suspect: Light Yagami.

"Oh, no, not at all," she managed to say and glanced at her watch. It'll only be a few more minutes before the exam starts. _Shit, I was lazing around! _Lira thought frantically before hurrying to the examination hall.

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A/N: so that ends this chapter. I really wish I could update more frequently because I really want to finish this story now that I have a lot of new story ideas that have been on cue. Well, I hope you like this chapter.  
: FBI! FBI! my friend bugged the hell out of me because of this one but now i've changed it. sorry about that. I just got a little confused since NBI is like the local version of the FBI here...


	8. To Keep an Eye

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Death Note.

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----Chapter 8----

----To Keep an Eye----

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Lira huffed in her chair as she kept watch over a row of students taking their exams. She was bored with the way things are going. Light Yagami, who incidentally sat along with the other pupils in the row she was watching over, seems to be the one least likely to play the bad guy role of Kira. He seems like your goody-two shoes type of honor student who is just so full of himself and his admirable intelligence. Heck, she even heard that the guy topped the national mock exams. She huffed again at the thought. Smart-ass guys were never her type though it was a little contradicting to her since she got herself attached to the world's smartest detective. Yet, she knows that L doesn't know everything. It took her almost the whole of her teenage life just to show him how to love. And she knows that this certain boy, Yagami Light, is fully aware of his handsome features that he has been gifted and that he _knows _how to use those to his advantage to _seduce _anyone for him to get what he wants. The tone in his voice when he spoke to her earlier that morning tells her that he's been an expert on that dark art for so long and he's not going to hold back his abilities if ever a situation presents itself to him where he needs it.

"You there! Sit properly!" a proctor barked a few rows behind Lira and she sat up straight with a start, looking at the direction of the erring examinee. She smirked inwardly when she saw L pay no attention to the irate proctor and continued to stare intently at the Yagami kid's direction, which Lira was delighted to see, was uneasy with L's penetrating glare.

Moments later, the proctor gave up L as a bad job and left him to continue with his exam in peace. However, peace is something that is out of L's little world. L is someone who is always thinking. Maybe it's the only thing that L knows aside from eating too much sweets and bossing Lira and Watari around. L was still not lifting his pencil from the little dent on the table and stared intently at the Yagami boy's back as if intending to make a large hole that would go through the boy's back and out. Lira was getting nervous for L. How could their investigation carry on when he's not even answering his exam?

The proctor who was up front announced that there was only five minutes left for the exam. Lira turned her head discreetly to L. The detective turned his gaze into his paper for the first time that morning and picked up his untouched pencil from the dent on the desk and started shading the corresponding circles of his answers, pausing every now and then to write down neatly a solution to a given problem. At exactly one minute before the exam ends, L shaded the last circle of his answer and laid down his pencil back to the dent on the table and returned his gaze to the Yagami boy who was now sitting in a relaxed manner on his chair. He is already finished with the exam.

The exam was finally over and the students filed out of the hall, looks of relief eminent on their faces. Lira and the other proctors then scrambled to collect the test papers on the desks. As Lira was collecting the papers from L's row, she paused for a bit and looked at the detective's paper. It was so clean, without any erasures meaning that he's sure of his answers and the solutions are scribbled neatly and followed a straight line as if written on ruled paper which makes it really easy for anyone to understand. She just hopes the answers are correct. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued to collect the remaining papers on that row. It would be at least a month for them to find out how their 'investigation' would progress.

* * *

Lira broke into a half-run-half-walk pace as she went to the big boards where they post the entrance exam passers. She was nervous yet excited at the same time. Excited because she knows that L is no dunderhead and she knows he's got what it takes to pass the exams. Nervous because L might have gotten all the answers wrong. He answered the exams in four minutes flat, after all.

She reached the boards finally and halted, gasping for breath. She had become quite dormant ever since she started her teaching stint. She made a mental note to exercise every once in a while so as not to lose her precious stamina. After a few more breaths, she straightened up and slowly faced the board, closing her eyes tightly; afraid of what she might see. She then slowly opened her eyes, squinting from left to right, expecting L to get a low rank, with his little speed exam feat. No, his name – Ryuga Hideki – was not anywhere in the left side of the board. Finally, Lira squinted at the right side, searching for his name. Her eyes widened as she landed on the famous actor's name that her beloved detective used sitting there, smack at the uppermost right corner of the long sheet of paper. L had made it to the number one spot, with a perfect score. Lira made a little celebration dance in her mind but another name caught her attention. Yagami Light. It was there beside L's name, sharing the top spot with her love. Lira smirked a little. _So this kid is not just some smart-ass. He truly is smart. Now my suspicions of him being Kira has risen to at least ten percent from 0.6 percent. _Lira thought, feeling like the detective she was supposed to be when she is under the namesake of Danuve.

* * *

"Lawliet you did it! Top 1 of Tou-oh!" Lira shouted as soon as she arrived at the hotel room where they are staying, throwing her arms around the detective who had his back on her and peering at the monitor of his goddamned computer. L gasped as he was caught of guard again by Lira's hug.

"Don't go shouting my name around so needlessly," L warned. The walls have ears, after all.

"Oops, sorry about that," Lira said sticking out her tongue but not letting go of the detective.

"What are you so ecstatic about, anyway?" L asked, holding the arms that are entwined around his this frame.

"Gosh, you made it at the top spot of _the _Tou-oh University and you do not show any inclination that you are happy about it. You made it to the top spot of _the _best university in Japan," Lira exclaimed as if L was out of his mind.

"Yay," L said flatly and resumed his work.

"What was that reaction!" Lira exclaimed. The detective really was out of his mind.

"What? I've got to prepare my speech for the entrance ceremony so could you please leave me to my work?" L said and gazed back at the monitor. Lira let got of him and smiled to herself. The detective really has some issues regarding how he shows his feelings.

* * *

The cold air blew as Lira alighted from the limousine that Watari was driving. She turned around then and gave L's outfit a withering look. The detective did not bother dressing up for the entrance ceremony and chose to wear his baggy long-sleeved white shirt with his worn-out jeans matched with torn sneakers that L wore like a slip-on, not even bothering to wear a sock.

"You really should brush up on your fashion sense," Lira exclaimed for the nth time that day. Compared to L, she was starting to look more like a respectable college professor now, with her baby pink blazer and mini-skirt combo she had together with a black undershirt and black stockings with three-inch high stiletto heels.

"I couldn't be bothered with shopping," L said, waving a hand dismissively. "Now go inside the hall before they see you with me," he continued.

The entrance ceremony went in a haze for Lira because the only thing she paid attention to was L's speech. Sure his voice sounded dull and monotonous that anybody would fall asleep within two minutes through his speech if they did not keep their focus. Lira looked sideways to the students and saw a small, chubby girl with thick-rimmed glasses blushing furiously as she watched L deliver his speech. _He's mine, fat-ass_. Lira thought scathingly as though the girl was stealing away her precious detective. She also felt pride at the same time for being with the man that that particular girl was fawning over and she was in nowhere near letting her strawberry-san go. A few more sleepy minutes – maybe hours – passed by and the entrance ceremony was finally over. And Lira joined the throng of students filing out of the hall to get into the car before L does so as to avoid any suspicion.

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"Stupid, idiot, moron, baka, aho, tanga, mangmang, bobo, indio –," Lira unleashed a tirade of synonyms for the word 'stupid' in as many languages as she can as L sat motionless on his sofa, staring meekly at her like a child being scolded by his mother.

"Why in the hell did you not tell me of your plan? _Why in the hell did you tell that Yagami bastard that you are L?_" Lira exploded, throwing her arms up dramatically as if to emphasize the point.

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A/N: Ok, that's it for this chapter. Hmn…Groom, thank you for the support (figuratively and literally) and also for your beautiful Christmas gift. Everyone, please enjoy, andvanced Merry Christmas! (I do not know if I'll be able to update before Christmas so here's my advanced greeting)


	9. The Yagami Kid

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.

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----Chapter 9----

----The Yagami Kid----

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"Yagami Light?" Lira called out the name and looked around the classroom for the person she fears yet despises the most.

"Here," the Yagami boy raised his hand to show that he is present for Lira's class.

It was Lira's programming class. At first she could not believe that the Yagami boy somehow found is way to her class. She hates smart-asses so she knew that from the moment he stepped inside her classroom, it would be hell for her. But, unfortunately, the Yagami boy proved her wrong. He was every professor's dream. His scores were always excellent and he did everything she requires in her class satisfactorily. He does a lot of extra work and research and also runs errands for her when there is no one available to do it for her. He was kind and greets her with a smile whenever they pass each other on the corridors. It was very hard for Lira to distinguish now which is true about this kid and which one is a false front.

Lira began her lesson by writing some codes that she would be explaining to the class later on, thinking to herself that if L was to sit in this class, this would be like a piece of cake for him. He was the super genius of the world and that doesn't mean he can't do bad stuff like hack on people's units. Heck, she almost spat her coffee on L when she found out he hacked on Misora Naomi's precious brand new unit back in L.A. when he was still working on B's case. The thought of new units getting hacked still sent shivers down her spine. And it was not the pleasurable shivers we are talking about.

Lira set the whiteboard marker down on the teacher's table and sat back down, opening her class record once again.

"Ok, I'm going to take attendance again so those who are late, please state your name," she announce at her class. A few students raised their hands and stated their surnames as she marked their names on the class record. She looked back up again to her class and asked, "Anyone else whose name I have not checked yet?" She let her gaze travel upon the elevated seats in front of her lecture class to see if anyone is raising their hand and she did see one.

"Hideki," a monotone voice announced and Lira's eyes widened as she saw L, or rather, Ryuuga Hideki on a seat almost at the top of the rows of seats.

"Oh!" she exclaimed and hastened to sign a big fat L on his record. L for late, that is.

The lesson then proceeded without any further interruptions whatsoever as Lira explained the code she'd written on the whiteboard and giving her students a few points to remember. Finally, she ended the lecture with a short quiz. After she dismissed her class, she pulled L aside with a lousy 'you have excessive absences' excuse. That was not exactly true. It was only the first few weeks since classes started and she really cannot blame L for not going to school since he has a lot of important cases to work on for him to bother getting education that he really doesn't need at all.

"Good to see you attending classes like a normal university student," Lira smirked at L while arranging her things and putting them back inside her bag.

"It's my job to watch that Yagami kid, you know," L replied, scratching a spot on his chin.

"The tennis match you two had was really big around here, you know, even the people in the faculty are talking about it. Something about you two being prodigies," Lira said as she zipped her bag shut.

"I never wanted it to turn out that way, though. I just wanted to measure something," L said.

"And what exactly is that?" Lira asked curiously.

"The Yagami boy's winning intent. I wanted to see how much he hates losing. As I have explained before, Kira is as childish as I am. He hates losing. Therefore, I deduced that a tennis match would be a great way to measure that but I never intended our match to be something like a celebrity death match," L explained, snatching the chocolate that Lira was going to stuff in a pocket of her bag and opening it, not even bothering to wonder where she got it.

"Celebrity Death Match?" Lira chuckled. L was never the one to watch such things.

"I saw Watari watching it one time. You know how the old man gets bored at times," L shrugged.

"Watari watches MTV?" Lira asked with an incredulous look on her face.

"I don't know what it's called but he used to watch that back in L.A.," L replied innocently.

"Never mind that. Would you like to get something to eat?" Lira asked as she swung her bag over her shoulder.

"No thanks but it would be blowing our cover if anyone sees us eating together," L said.

"Well, alright then," Lira said dismissively as she opened the door to let the slouching L out of the classroom before her. _Off to observe the Yagami kid, no doubt_. Lira though to herself somehow feeling a pang of jealousy toward Light that she was so tempted to just fail him on her subject or better yet strangle him to death so that he may be one of those freaky cadavers that they so religiously open up on their forensic classes. That sounds so sick but that's just the will of a jealous woman.

* * *

That night found L, tapping on his keyboard and staring intently on his flat-screen monitor and Lira sitting snugly at the sofa, cradling her precious black laptop and browsing the internet leisurely. She was a bit furious as to why L paid so much attention to the Yagami kd yet at the same time, she could not blame him for keeping a close eye on his prime suspect. She dragged the mouse pointer down to her system tray and opened an instant messaging program. At least she could still talk to L with that means of communication.

_Yo, Lawliet! _Lira typed followed by a buzz.

_Lira. What do you need? _L typed back. At least he's not too busy to not notice instant messages sent to him.

_I just wanted to talk. Is that a sin now? _Lira asked.

_Not really but why don't you just talk to me directly. We're like – 2 meters apart only_. L replied.

_I figured you were too busy watching over my student._ Lira replied.

_Which student? _L asked.

_Don't be silly. You know who we are talking about. _Lira typed back a little too furiously for the frail keyboard of her baby.

_He is my suspect and I won't ever let go of him until I prove that he is Kira. _L replied.

_Oh, ok. You have time for lunch tomorrow? _Lira asked tentatively.

_Sorry but I have to work on the Kira case. _L replied. Lira had it at that. She logged off and shut down her laptop and strode off to get some sleep with a tear falling down one of her eyes. She quickly wiped it off with the back of her hand knowing that she should really not be jealous but that was just too much for her. Unknowingly, L had neglected her and spent much time fussing over the Yagami kid. _They should just hurry up and marry_. Lira thought bitterly as she punched her pillow into a comfortable shape and lay there, willing sleep to take her away to somewhere jealousy never existed at all.

* * *

mydeadlylover: Light _did _join the police force, right? Correct me if I'm wrong. I just based the subject Light is taking from the curriculum my university offers to criminology students and I really have no idea how it goes in Japan, so please understand. Also the programming class should be held in a computer laboratory but I figured I should just set it as a lecture class because my professor was not that merciful to late students during laboratory classes. Sorry _again _for the late updates and for the super short chapter. Have a blessed and happy new year, everyone!


	10. Bound

A/N: So I decided to time-skip to the time where L and Light are bound by handcuffs. I like most of the fanfics about that, seriously. But now, it's time to give Lira a yaoi-infested mind just like her creator (yours truly). Oh, and by the way, _LINES IN ITALICS ARE EITHER DREAM SEQUENCES OR THOUGHTS._

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Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.

* * *

---Chapter 10---

----Bound----

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_The path was very dark and every footstep she made echoes throughout the small space around her. It was so cold, almost as cold as winter. She could only blame it to an air conditioner going on full blast somewhere unseen by her eyes. In fact, she cannot even see anything in this darkness. All she can do is use her other senses to feel her way through this dark and cold place. _

_She took careful steps forward, her arms feeling around helplessly, trying to find something solid to hold onto. She failed at that attempt but as her eyes looked forward, she saw a tiny speck of light. She broke into a run towards that tiny speck of light, her heart pounding against her ribcage as she watched the light grow larger as she grew closer to it. _

_The light seems to be coming from inside a door that was partly open. She tiptoed as she neared the door and stuck out an arm and swung it in slowly, afraid to disturb whoever it was inside that room. She then stepped in slowly and quietly and saw a view that gave her the shock of her life. _

_She saw her beloved boy genius straddling his prime suspect as they locked in a very deep and wet kiss. Their tongues were currently in a fierce battle for dominance and a hand of the boy genius is resting on the suspect's chest, trying to push him down and win this game. She noted in her confusion and shock that their hand were bound to each other's by handcuffs. Curse those damn handcuffs. She tried to open her mouth to scream, to let out at least a small portion of all the feeling building up inside her but failed. Her voice never came out. _

_The two, sensing a presence from the doorway, broke their kiss and her beloved genius locked eyes with her licking his lips as if to say 'he's a better kisser than you are'. She was so shocked and overwhelmed by how seductive and lustful her beloved looked at the moment – riiiiiing! The fire alarm or something rang from somewhere far away, and Lira turned to look for where it came from …_

Lira awoke with a start as she heard her alarm clock ring on her bedside table. She hated the morning, alright. She hated the whole process of getting up, fixing the bed and getting ready for work. And she doesn't like it even more now that she lives with L in his so-called headquarters where he conducts the Kira investigation. She's also creeped out with the knowledge that somewhere in this building, Kira and his damn pop star girlfriend is being held as prisoners. Lira got up and fixed her bed and proceeded to her dresser, noting how bad her bed hair was. That's another one on her list of why she hates mornings. Bed hair is always a pain to deal with. She picked up a wide-toothed comb and started battling with her bed hair as best as she can.

When her hair was back to its straight and manageable form, she then proceeded to her closet where she picked out the clothes she will be wearing that day and pulled them out, laying them on her bed. She then proceeded to her shoe rack next to the closet and chose a pair that would suit her outfit for today. When that has been dealt with, she pulled out some underwear from her drawers and tugged at her hot-pink bath towel hanging from a chair near her dresser and went to the bathroom to take a shower. After making sure that the water heater is running, she stripped off of her clothes and stepped sleepily under the shower. _Damn, too hot! _She thought as the water hit her back in full force, almost making her back burned raw. She lavished on her toiletries and everything she uses is strawberry scented from her shower gel down to the shampoo she uses. It usually takes her about an hour, at the very least to get herself washed.

The bathroom mirror has already fogged when she stepped out of the shower feeling very much refreshed. She then went on to her other daily morning activities like dressing up, drying and fixing her hair and putting on makeup. After all of that was done, she slipped in the train pass and her purse on the front zipper of her Louis Vuitton backpack and picked up her laptop bag and went downstairs to have breakfast prepared by Watari. As she reached the last few steps leading to the main room and heard a very familiar and unwelcome voice.

"Valentine-sensei?" Lira turned to look at the source of that voice and came face to face with her least-favorite student – Light Yagami.

"What are you doing in this place?" The inspector's son asked his teacher as Lira descended the stairs indifferently and sat on the breakfast table and Watari bustled off to serve her breakfast.

"I actually live here, Mr. Yagami," Lira answered in a matter-of-fact way, sipping on her coffee.

"You mean you are living with L?" The boy questioned further.

"Ever since we were children, Mr. Yagami," Lira said and was glad to see the look of shock in his eyes. It was like taking revenge to the man whom her beloved L had obsessed himself with for the past months. She then noted a shiny metal protruding from the cuff of his shirt and saw that it led to her L's arm.

"What's that thing?" she asked, pointing at the protruding metal from both men's sleeve as Watari set down a breakfast for a king in front of her, consisting of all her favorite things.

"These are handcuffs, baby. I've decided to believe his claim that he is innocent and in return, he will be helping me with the Kira investigation and to make sure he does, I bound myself to him with these," L explained, raising his arm, the metal clinking on its wake. The Yagami boy, looking anything but pleased. _Bingo! _A voice sang in Lira's head.

"Since when did you decide to do this?" Lira asked, raising an eyebrow as she began eating her breakfast.

"Since last night, Shadow. They almost beat the crap out of each other," Watari replied, pouring her some more coffee.

"So I see, you have a new fetish, eh? Strawberry-san?" Lira smirked a while later, as she got up and picked up her bags and got ready to leave for work.

"W- wait! What are all there name stuff you've been using on each other? What's this like – a codename or something?" Light asked, feeling very much left out of everything they are all talking about.

"It's something we've picked up since childhood, Yagami-kun. And, from what I've heard, Kira needs a name and a face to kill and you questioning about our little name game raised my suspicion of you being Kira has been raised to – 10 percent," Lira said, disappearing behind the automatic doors leading away from that room. Lira can faintly hear the boy's scream of 'I told you guys that I am not Kira!' through the door and she smiled at the thought of a new game.

Damn, she would enjoy tormenting Yagami Light to no end.

* * *

A/N: That was short, I know but I'm kinda not in the mood to write right now since my 2009 did not start as pleasantly and happily as I expected it to be (note: dead man in the household). So, I give this short chapter to you with a perverted yaoi-thinking Lira (in the dream sequence, that is) and the naughty side of her. Have fun. Oh, and I know that the setting wherein L and Light were bound to each other are totally different from what I wrote but that's how the scene popped out of my head, dream sequence, morning routine, dialogue and the works. You can call it crack, I won't be angry, promise!


	11. Gender Confused Freak

MYDEADLYLOVER: in a perfectly insane bout of craziness, I'm gonna announce that I'll be turning a year older on the last week of February. So, this will be the first request I'm gonna be making ever since I became a fanfic writer, can somebody make a kakashixoc (naruto) fanfic for me as a gift?! Pretty please? Haha…I know I'm asking too much so, yeah, nevermind. I'm just not expecting any gifts anymore for my birthday so I was kinda hoping someone would be kind enough but - On with the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.

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Chapter 11

----Gender-Confused Freak----

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"Seriously, you really are a gender-confused freak; do you know that, Yagami-kun?" Lira asked for the nth time ever since Light met her. She had seen everything: every single 'punishment' Light had to endure under L's somewhat sadistic reign. First, it was to be imprisoned for several days in a cell with only two positions to choose from: sitting or lying down curled up in his cell, begging for everyone to believe that he is not Kira. Lira had always thought that he had a few screws loose after watching him change personality ala Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, one moment, thinking he _might _be Kira and the next screaming in his cell that he definitely is not Kira. That Kid is crazy.

Next, she watched as Light gets bounded to L with long metal handcuffs for L to keep an eye on him and for him to help investigate the Yotsuba group, a firm that is very suspicious ever since their position in the market escalated almost overnight. That phase was Lira's favorite. Light had actually tried to _seduce _L into releasing him from the restraints of the handcuffs. She never thought the kid would stoop so low to get what he wants. But that was really fun to watch for Lira. She saw how the poor kid made his advances to her boy genius and L, who had next to nothing when it comes to feelings, turns him down every single time without the detective even knowing what he did. That went on for about a few weeks until Light may have decided to just give it up after finally realizing that the detective is an emotionless piece of crap.

Wedy, who was present at the headquarters at that time almost choked on her coffee after hearing Lira's comment. That was the first time the spy ever heard of it, unlike most of the people in the investigation team, whose ears were almost near to bleeding state after hearing that statement almost everyday. Light twitched in his seat next to L, staring at the monitors that displays information about the Yotsuba group's activities for the past month.

"I thought you were making a presentation," Light said in a would-be calm voice.

"I've already done that. It's super easy, you know," Lira replied cheerfully, drawing a chair close to L. The detective then took the icing-covered cupcake that Light was about to put into his mouth and gave it to Lira.

"Here, have a cupcake," L said, earning another twitch from the university student. Lira suppressed the smirk that would have formed in her lips and bit on the cupcake, caring to show Light how much she enjoyed her little sweet treat. She loves tormenting Light especially when he shows so much reaction to every little thing she does.

"Why do you keep on calling me a gender-confused freak, anyway?" Light asked in an attempt to make some sense of the goings-on.

"Well, you are! Ever since you got bound to L, you never visited your girlfriend. I mean, do you really love her? You only cared about the case as much as I know," Lira said in a matter of fact way, crossing her arms over her chest. Silence greeted her. The Yagami boy wasn't playing her game.

"Well? I asked you if you loved your popstar of a girlfriend didn't I? I mean, yeah, she's totally insane and all but I really think that she's head over heels in love with you too. I mean, she practically throws herself at you every chance she gets, right? So, do you really, really love your crazy-headed, daft, mentally unstable girlfriend? It's just a simple yes or no question and you are not answering!" Lira bitched. The Yagami kid wasn't going to give her fun easily today.

"Fine, I love so damn well that I might just have gone crazy and all freaky the way you always call me. Are you happy with that now? Why can't you keep your trap shut every once in a while? I told you, I am not a gender-confused freak! I do not visit Misa because if your eyes ever fail you, you must have missed the fact that I am bound by these goddamned handcuffs to you emotionless boyfriend who doesn't even know how to recognize seduction even if it wore a tassel hat and danced naked in front of him carrying a pot of boiling jasmine tea! Seriously, you should be the one wondering whether you boyfriend loves you or not, bitch. I think not. I think he loves his work much more than you. So please shut the frick up!" Light ranted, his voice escalating as he finished the paragraph. Everything happened all at once. Light was heaving breaths and fuming at Lira and then he felt something soft, white and squishy make contact with his handsome features. He then raised his hand to feel the white stuff - icing?

"Don't call her a bitch or I might just throw you back into your cell. Lira's right about your girlfriend, in my opinion but enough about that because we really need to get back to work," L said out of the blue after throwing the remaining cupcakes on his plate to Light. He never even bothered telling him to clean his face before proceeding on working at the background study of the Yotsuba group. Lira might have just witness what an angered L was like.

"Fine," Light huffed, wiping the generous amount of icing that L had managed to land on his face with a table napkin that dangled off the tray that Watari uses to serve L his sweets, grimacing at how sticky the icing was. They worked in a very strained silence afterwards, broken only by Lira's music blaring from her Laptop's speakers. _Sha-la-la-la-la don't be scared you've got the mood prepared, go on and kiss the giril_

* * *

As midnight struck, the headquarters had dimmed down, lit only by tiny pin lights at the corners and the faint light coming from L's personal computer. Light was fast asleep on his swivel chair. Sleep was badly needed for the university student. He's been freaking out almost everyday since he got bound to L about how the detective never sleeps. Lira smiled at this fact. The boy certainly cannot tolerate oddity that well. She leaned her head on the detective's shoulder, earning a faint gasp from the detective. He has not yet gotten used to physical intimacy yet. Sometimes, Lira compares his knowledge when it comes to relationships to a middle-school student. But in her opinion, she liked her detective better than the latter. The detective is way smarter and hotter than a middle-school student; if you find pale, thin and a little messy hot, that is.

"Why don't you go to sleep?" L asked, browsing through the files that he and Light were studying that day, finding stuff they might have missed.

"I'm not yet sleepy," Lira said simply.

"You have class tomorrow. Your students won't appreciate it if their professor is late, you know," L said.

"I don't care, though. Professors have a right to commit mistakes every once in a while too, you know," Lira said, running her hand along L's arm.

"Don't do that, please," L said in his monotone voice though Lira did not miss the slight twitch of his body.

"Why?" Lira asked innocently, continuing to stroke L's hand.

"You're turning me on," L said, shuddering mildly under Lira's touch. Lira smirked, so she was affecting L that way, huh? She continued her stroking as if nothing had happened.

"I told you to stop that," L said in a firmer voice. Lira let go of him, afraid that he might get angry at her.

"Thank you," L said, relief clear in his voice.

"I – I think I'll go to sleep now," Lira said, trying to get out of the uneasy situation they have been put to by L's sudden demand for her to stop.

"You do that," L said as if nothing happened.

"G – goodnight," Lira said, planting a quick kiss on L's lips and climbing up the stairs leading to her room.

"You really know nothing do you," Light said from his chair, now wide awake.

"How long have you been awake," L asked, staring at the monitor of his computer, not bothering to look at the Yagami.

"Ever since you started your little talk," Light said in a smug voice. Not hearing a reply from L he continued. "You know, you could have continued what you were doing. Your girlfriend was really hot and I don't see why you can't given her some loving right here. I wouldn't have minded the sounds, you know, I would just have to pretend I am sleeping until you are finished. I know a man's needs, you know," Light said in matter of fact way.

"It's not about disturbing you," L said in a flat voice.

"Then what is it about, L?" Light asked in curiosity.

"It's none of your business, if you're so curious, then get back to studying the Yotsuba's remaining documents," L said, pointing to a stack of CDs to Light's right side. Light groaned but did as he was told.

"Can I play some music?" Light asked.

"As you wish but keep it down, baby might wake up," L said.

_Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange? Come with us and you will see, this, our town of Halloween…_

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MYDEADLYLOVER: whew! I wasn't supposed to update until next month but this idea struck me last night and I couldn't get it off of my mind. I hope you like it..

Kiss the girl from The Little Mermaid.

This is Halloween by Marilyn Manson from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

*thanks to a certain cosplayer of momoshiro (PoT) for being there through my whole 'sad new year ordeal'*


	12. Untitled

MYDEADLYLOVER: finally, I can start making an ending for this fanfic, thanks to my friend, eijicute (subscribe to her youtube videos, beautiful people!) who helped a lot in formulating the ending over lunch one time at school. I've gotta work on a SasoriXoc in return though so thank her, guys! Thank her! Haha.. anyway, I'll be making this chapter long (or maybe the next one) since I want to finish this fanfic by chapter 13. The number means a lot on this fanfic.

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-----Chapter 12----

----Untitled----

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It has been a week since the Yotsuba perpetrator, Higuchi Kyosuke , was caught and the powers of Kira discovered. Everything happened so fast in front of Lira's eyes that she doesn't know how to describe it if ever she was asked to. Not that normal people you pass by at the streets would be asking her to elaborate on the elaborate capture staged by the anti-Kira task force.

Apparently, Kira's powers came from something called a 'Death Note' wherein you write the names of people you want to kill. And also, if you touch it, you will be seeing a 'Shinigami' who originally owned the notebook. For Lira, it was like a child's insane imagination. It was all too absurd to come true and it was really hard to believe on a single word of it if you are an educated person. But all of Lira's doubts about that 'magical' notebook was gone when one night, being alone with L at the headquarters suddenly grabbed her hand and allowed her to touched the black notebook. As Lira's initial shock of having been forced by L to do something wore off, she averted her eyes into the open space to see that it was not empty anymore.

There stood a pure white shinigami staring at her straight in the eyes. Lira juped off from her seat in fear and cowered next to L who placed a hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her. After getting over her initial shock, Lira stared right into those terrifying eyes.

"Y – you're a shinigami?" Lira asked in a trembling voice that she had tried to suppress.

"Yes," the white creature replied.

"So you know when I'll be dying, am I correct?" Lira asked.

"Yes," the shinigami replied again.

"Can you tell me," Lira asked tentatively.

"No, it's against the rules," the shinigami stated.

"What rules, exactly?" Lira pressed.

"They are the rules that we shinigami follow in our realm."

"So you're not from our world."

"Yes. It is very seldom that a shinigami would come down to this world."

"Then, why did you come here?"

"I dropped my Death Note," the shinigami said, gesturing towards the black notebook that Lira held in her hands.

"Is it by accident? Do you know how many lives this notebook had claimed? They were all criminals, yes, but this kind of justice is just not right!" Lira burst out and L held her to keep her from launching herself or throwing her knives into thin air.

"I am aware that the Death Note claimed many lives during its existence in the human world. However, what is written there is not my doing. It's done by the previous owner of the notebook. When this notebook fell onto the human world, it's this world's property and not mine," the shinigami explained. "As for the question if I dropped it by accident or not, I wonder about that myself," it added as an afterthought.

"You wonder?" Lira asked dumbstruck.

"Yes." The shinigami nodded.

"Thank you, you can now go. I just wanted you to meet Lira, that's all," L said, waving a dismissing hand. The shinigami bowed a little to his direction and disappeared through a wall.

"A kind fellow, isn't she?" L asked as Lira just stared into the space where the shinigami had disappeared.

"What he did is so not right!" Lira said after a few seconds.

"I agree but I think creatures such as a shinigami have different values than we humans have. Besides, Kira was the one responsible for all these things. Ren, the shinigami is simply following Kira," L stated, putting an arm around Lira. The woman snuggled closer to the detectives chest and they remained like that for some time until Lira's phone rang. Lira started at the sound and hurried to the coffee table to answer it. Later on, Lira looked at L with a faint grin on her face.

"There's a ball I should be attending today and I completely forgot about it. I – I'll go and prepare now," Lira said, knocking herself mentally in the head for forgetting something that important. The shinigami actually as part of the blame. Lira would never thought that such a mythical creature could actually exist in the modern world.

"Alright then, but don't stay out too late," L called out after her as she went up the stairs to dress up and get ready for the ball.

After a long process of choosing which dress was best to wear, putting on makeup and fixing her hair, Lira came down from her room to find L in the same position where she left him.

"Aren't you going to get some rest?" she asked the detective who was still sitting on the sofa.

"You know that I only get some sleep once a week," L replied looking at her with those eyes that have been darkened from lack of sleep. His eyes widened when he saw what Lira was wearing. She wore a royal blue cocktail dress with plunging neckline that showed her figure very well.

"That looks good on you," the detective complimented.

"Thanks," Lira blushed, her face suddenly heating up.

"You better go now or the ball will start without you. I'll have Watari drive you there," L said, standing up and walking in his usual hunched manner towards Lira. Stopping in front of the girl, L reached out and cupped her chin, bringing her face close to his and kissing her lightly on the lips, making her blush some more.

"You take care, OK?" L said as he turned around and walked towards the couch.

* * *

The party was just starting when Lira arrived at the function. It was an annual ball organized by the university for freshmen to meet their seniors formally and as a professor, Lira was required to attend it to help keep the event in order. Lira was met at the door my her co-faculty member by the name of Tadayoshi [1]. He's been making advances to Lira since the day he met her but Lira was just too into L to actually pay attention to him.

"You're late, Valentine-san," Tadayoshi said, holding a glass of champagne and offering it to Lira.

"I almost forgot about this party, you know, Tadayoshi-san," Lira said accepting the glass.

"That's not like you to forget something like this," Tadayosshi commented, sipping on his glass.

"I had a visitor back home," Lira lied, gazing into the crowd of dancing students. "The party's in full swing, eh?" Lira commented, sipping at her champagne.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves quite well," Tadayoshi agreed then faced Lira, setting his glass at the tray of a roaming waiter who happened to be passing by.

"Valentine-san, would you like to –," He started but he was cut off by Yagami Light who approached Lira.

"Valentine-sensei, can I have this dance?" He asked, holding out his hand. Lira nodded and gave her empty glass to Tadayoshi.

"Can you hold this for me?" Lira said as she and Light disappeared among the crowd of dancers.

"How have you been, Yagami-kun?" Lira asked as another song began to play in the background.

"I've been doing quite well. How about you and Ryuzaki?" Light replied, leading Lira in their dance.

"We're well. We've finally discovered how _that_ thing works and I've met it's _original _owner," Lira said, using codes for it's too risky to talk about such information in a public place like that ball.

"Oh, I see. You know, I also know of an information regarding _that_ and it's something that you don't know yourselves," Light said, a smug look spreading on his face.

"What is it, Yagami-kun?" Lira asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"I know who the original Kira is," Light said, suggestively.

"Eh? Then tell me who it is."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Of course, Yagami-kun. It's essential information."

"But it might hurt you if you know the truth."

"I'm prepared for the consequences."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. Just spit it, will you, the song's about to end."

"The real Kira is me."

The music seemed so distant to Lira's ears as she let go of her dancing partner, staring at his face with emotions of mixed fear, confusion and depression. It can't be him. He's such a good boy to even kill a person. How can he, Yagami Light, star pupil and dream guy of almost all of the women in Tou-Oh be Kira? That's a joke, right? But Lira's worst thoughts were confirmed as she saw the evil glint in the boy's eyes and the smirk he gave her. Only a shinigami could be that scary. He seemed to exude such dark aura as he just stood there leering at her, waiting for her next move. Lira cannot take the heavy atmosphere that has befallen and ran outside of the function hall.

"That's right, sensei, run for your life," Light whispered as he stalked away from the dance floor.

It had started raining but Lira cannot be bothered. She was so scared. She can't believe what Light had just said. How can he so openly admit that he's Kira when he had denied it over a hundred times when he was quarantined by L for several days. How could he lie with such a pitiful face? And how can he tell the scary truth with such a straight face? How can he just conveniently forget that he's Kira and convince everyone that he's at their side? How can he do those things for so long and evade capture?

_The individuals who lose the ownership of the Death Note will also lose their memory of the usage of the Death Note. _[2]

That was written on the How to Use section of that damn notebook. Now she knows. Yagami is a smart boy. He knows how to take advantage of situations and she knows that he would take advantage of that particular rule, that smart-ass bastard. Soaked to the bones and shivering from the cold night air mixed with the rain, Lira decided to take shelter under a nearby bus stop that she passed by. She does not know how long she had been running since she was scared as if a thousand demons were chasing after her. She sat down and wondered when the rain would end. She's got to find a way to go home soon or she will die because of the cold air.

* * *

L was making a ruckus at the headquarters. It's already 12 midnight and Lira still hasn't come back from the party and it was way past the allotted time of her arrival. Finally, when he couldn't take it anymore, he asked for a car, refused Watari's offer to drive for him and drove into the night to find Lira.

L was not a very good driver at all but since it's already the dead of night, L does not have to worry bumping cars along the way. He drove haphazardly, looking left and right. It's still raining and he was worried that Lira would get sick. He's had Watari call at her co-teachers and everyone said that she left the party early so he drove down the streets leading to the function hall. She can't have gone too far. Not with those stilettos she's wearing.

Finally, he found her sitting alone at a bus stop, her clothes soaked wet.L parked the car in front of the bus stop and alighted, fuming with feelings of mixed anger and worry.

"Baka! Why did you not call us when you left the party! I'm so worried about you!" L shouted and it hurt. It was not usual for the great detective to be shouting. Usually, he would negotiate everything in a calm manner but Lira had always turned things around in his life.

"I – I …" Lira's voice trailed off as tears threatened to flow out of her eyes. She was so scared and now L was shouting at her. Was he that angry at her to actually scold her like that.

"What's wrong?" L asked, approaching Lira as the rain continued pouring down on him, matting his hair, his white shirt almost transparent. Lira cried and collapsed on her knees on the wet sidewalk, not bothering to be wet again by the rain.

"Scary. So scary," Lira wept. L does not care what made her scared. What's more important to him is that he's found her and she's safe now.

"Geez, stop crying, will you? You're killing me," L breathed to Lira's ear as he hugged her. They just sat there with L hugging Lira tightly and Lira, crying with her hands limp on her sides, staring at the rainy night sky.

_Angels are closer than you think they are. It could be that old lady on the street or maybe that kid lost at the park. Angels are everywhere if you'll just open your eyes and look closely at the endlessly revolving world around you. _[3]

* * *

Author's note:

[1] – introducing my new OC, Tadayoshi…he still doesn't have a first name so anyone who can think of something, can put their suggestions forward.

[2] – this is not a restated thesis statement (lol, my English prof's favorite conclusion to every composition) it's copied of a list of the rules from death god (dot) org

[3] – a little something that popped out of my mind. The scene I described a while ago with L hugging Lira reminds me a lot of a pic I saw before on devianart entitled angels are closer.

* * *

MYDEADLYLOVER: this is a super late post! Anyway, this is my post-birthday gift to you guys (it's a week late already, haha) ENJOY!


	13. Ecclesiastes

MYDEADLYLOVER: Finally! The final chapter! I really enjoyed writing under the Death Note category of FF and I'm really happy to meet all of you Death Note fans. Anyway, Like what I have said on the previous chapters, this will be my final Death Note fanfic since a) I've run out of ideas and b) my fanfics has been abused on other websites. So, yeah, I think I'll be moving to the overcrowded Naruto section or somewhere else. I haven't decided yet. So, yeah…. Chapter inspired by so many things including Itazura na Kiss and Bokura Ga Ita…for the very last time, please enjoy!

* * *

----Chapter 13----

----Ecclesiastes----

* * *

_"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." _

– _Ecclesiastes 3:1._

* * *

Lira never knew how she got through all the fear and confusion from discovering that Yagami Light was Kira. All she knew was that she never stayed cooped up in her room. She was always at the common room being served cakes by Watari and sometimes being force-fed by L, insisting that 'cake cures all emo' [1] She actually obliged, seeing that nothing is wrong from eating a lot of cakes other than gaining a few pounds from the sweet treat.

She had tried so many times to pull herself together. She can't be falling apart when she's up against the most notorious killer in Japan. But why did Yagami choose to reveal his true identity to her? Was he planning to kill her afterwards?

It was one of those days that Lira felt too bored to be in the headquarters and watch L's unmoving back that she decided to head out. They were given a chance by L to take a short break saying that he has worked their brains off already and that they should be a little smarter when they returned. She headed out, not even bothering to disturb L in his work. Dresses in shorts, a simple shirt and hooded jacket, she took an umbrella and went to the park. She needed some breathing time. That's what getting over depression is like, right?

_Jaa mata ne te wo futta  
Ushiro sugata anna ni mou_

L didn't even notice her leaving. He just continued munching on his sweet treats. Lira took a glance of his back as she shut the door behind her. Loving this man has been tough. There had been times when she was being neglected; times when she was showered with attention. Times when she was loved and times when she was left in the dark. Yet she enjoyed it, right? She wanted to stay by his side for as long as she can. She wanted to help him. She wanted badly to tell him that she knows who the real Kira is. She wanted to shout at his face and tell him how blind and stupid he has been. She also wanted to blame him for several other reasons. She wanted to confirm how true were his words of love that he had told her years ago.

_Anata ga kureta kotoba wo hitotsuzutsu  
Omoidashi me wo tojita_

It was a little dark outside yet rain was still not falling. Lira strolled through the nearby park, noticing how lovers walked side-by-side lovingly. She could never be a part of a normal couple because of L's job. He's got to keep himself hidden because of the fear of the world's defenses crumbling. What was he expecting? Freaking aliens to take over the world? Lira chuckled at that thought. L was fickle, all right. No one would expect someone scrawny with a messy appearance to be the world's greatest detective. They would usually expect the Sherlock Holmes type with those horribly long trench coats even in the middle of summer and the ubiquitous pipe for smoking. She would never expect L to wear those horrible clothing. There was no need to be so obvious, anyway. Lira was startled when she heard a voice calling her name.

"Oh, if it isn't Valentine-sensei!" A middle-aged man said, waving to her. She immediately recognized the source of the voice. He was none other than the father of Kira himself: Yagami Suichiro.

"No need to be so formal with me, Yagami-san," Lira smiled. She looked up to the man's eyes seeing only kindness in them. How could he father the world's greatest mass-murderer?

"Ah, but still, you taught my Light – " Lira almost flinched at the mention of that name but she controlled herself. It would do her no good to give sign of weakness. " – so many things, come, let's have coffee, my treat," Suichiro smiled at Lira and led her to the nearby café.

"You seem kinda off nowadays," Suichiro commented as they settled down and had placed their orders.

"Really? I never noticed myself," Lira lied.

"Don't be too serious. Go for a change of scene once in a while. It would not do good to succumb to stress, you know," Suichiro said as the waitress came and served their orders.

"I was just too bad at taking how the events the events are turning out," Lira said, rephrasing her biggest worry. L was completely exposed to the real Kira and if Light already has the power similar to that of the second Kira, it would be a matter of time before L was killed. She was seriously scared for L's sake.

"If it's about L, I think you should not worry about him that much. He could be a child at times but he's really and excellent man. He can handle himself well," Suichiro said, emptying his cup.

"Oh, break's over, I must go now, Valentine-sensei," Yagami Suichiro said, glancing his watch and throwing in some money at the table before standing up to leave. Before Lira could stop herself, she asked Yagami the question that has been playing at the tip of her tongue.

"Yagami-san," The man glanced back at her with a questioning look. Lira hesitated before blurting out her question. "I – if you know wh-who the real Kira is, w – would you tell it to L?" Lira asked.

"Of course," Yagami Suichiro answered in a matter of fact tone.

"But, s-say, he's close to y-you. Someone v-very unlikely to b-be Kira, would you s-still tell L even if it m-means losing someone important to you?" Lira stumbled on her words but nevertheless she had said it.

_Fuan ni naru doushite nano kokoro ga furueteru no  
_

"Of course. Justice comes first before family, friends or anything else, for that matter. Protecting our county is much more important than losing a single loved one," The elderly man answered proudly. Lira thought bitterly. What if this man was to know that his son is the real Kira?

"Well, if you don't have anything more to say, I'll be going now," and with a last smile, the older Yagami exited the café.

_Oikakete ikitai kedo  
_

Rain had started pouring outside the café windows and Lira had decided that it would be best if she would head back already. She was still immersed in her thoughts about what Yagami Suichiro had said. Would he still be standing by his words if he knew that his son is the real Kira?

Lira wanted to shout out so badly to the world who Kira is but something keeps on preventing her from doing so. It was fear. It was the inexplicable fear of what will happen when she blurted out the truth. Now she knows how eyewitnesses felt when the perpetrators are threatening them. Light could kill her the instant she made the fact that he was Kira. Not only her but a whole lot of people as long as he knows their name and face. The whole world seemed to be Kira's hostage and Lira was the poor witness of all his atrocity.

_Yuugure no sabishisa ga sonna yuuki nomikonda_

Lira kicked off her wet sneakers before she entered the headquarters. It would not be good to see these men slipping around because of the puddles she had made because of her wet shoes. If Lira was in a normal state of mind, she would have noted the absence of Watari's welcoming smile and even the lax in the third layer of security. Where was all those voice recognition shit that the investigation squad had all hated?

Her footsteps echoed on the floor as she descended the stairs that would lead her to the investigation room. Lights were off along the many hallways; you would think that someone had died. Lira placed a hand against the wall so as not to stumble and continued walking down the seemingly endless corridor. The darkness frightened her quite a bit. It made her feel like she was alone. And being alone was not the best thing she could think of at the present time. Nearing the door of the investigation room, she heard frantic voices.

"What's happening?!" A panick-stricken Matsuda stuttered more than he usually does.

"I told Watari to delete all the data in the computer if ever something happens to him," L ever-so calm voice responded. Lira peered into the room, seeing nothing but black with white writing too small for her to read at that distance.

"Watari is now dead." L continued as if it was a normal thing that a person drops dead without any reason at all. Lira could not take it anymore and entered the room silently. She wanted to comfort L. They both had lost a father figure that day. As she was about to reach the lighted part of the room, L began talking in a panicked voice that she never heard him use before.

"Where's the shinigami?!" L asked and everyone wheeled around not noticing Lira at all.

And then it happened. L stopped at mid-sentence and keeled sideways, as if in slow motion, falling onto the floor but was saved when Light caught him. They stared at each other for a while until L, in a shaking voice said, "I was right…but I…" L never got to finish his sentence as his body fell limp in Light's arms.

_Anata no egao no naka ni watashi wa iru  
Sukoshi hanareta dakede  
Maigo ni natta youna kodomo mitai nakidashisou  
Sunao nara konna omoi shinakutemo sumu no ni na_

Lira screamed and ran towards L's body, yanking Light's hands off of her beloved L. "Get your hands off him, you bastard!" she kept on screaming as she hugged L's form, biting back all the things she wants to scream at Light. She saw it, all right, that evil look in his eye that told her that he won his little game with L. Fuck him. Screw him. He never won. L got there first, she knew it. L just didn't have enough evidence to support his deduction but, knowing L for almost her whole life, she knew how he thinks better than anyone else.

_Suki dakara, suki dakara, zettai suki dakara_

She cupped his face in her hand to see his sleeping form. It was very seldom that L sleeps and Lira could almost always remember those instances when she would just stare at his peaceful form at he catches up with some sleep. He shakes him, as if trying to wake a child who is going to be late for school. _He won't wake._ A voice kept nagging at the back of her head and she felt tears falling down her face. _No need to rub it in, bastard, _she answered back but she kept on staring at his face. It was so peaceful and looked so content. Lira's tears kept streaming down as she remembered all that she's been through with L.

_**The first time we meet…**_

"It's L. an this little fellow over here is B," the boy answered. It was then that Lira noticed a small boy about the age of two or three cowering behind L and grabbing at his baggy pants. She thought that this guy might be using some stupid name and decided to play along.

"I'm Lee, by the way," She answered inventing madly.

"Nice to meet you, Lee," L said and extended hid hand to the girl still sitting on the bed.

"Nice meeting you too, L," Lira said and shook the hand that L had extended. B, realizing that there was no danger at all with the girl before him decided to come out from behind L and stretched his arms above him, reaching for Lira's extended arm and hugged it. "You too, B. Nice meeting you," Lira said.

_**The first time I experienced having a family…**_

"It's alright as long as mommy and daddy is by my side," The kid chirped holding onto the blanket.

"Of course we will be sleeping beside you," L assured the boy as he lay down beside him, turning to look at the kid lying in the middle. He still has that horrible posture even when lying down. He motioned for Lira to do the same and the girl imitated L lying down, also facing B.

"Mommy, daddy, could you kiss me before I sleep?" B asked the two and they both leaned to kiss the kid in the cheeks.

"B really likes to get his goodnight kiss," L told Lira as if to say that it should be expected from the boy.

"Daddy, why don't you kiss mommy too so that she can sleep well?" B said as he tugged at L's sleeve.

"I can't do that," L told the child who pouted.

"Why?" the kid said mustering the cutest puppy-dog eyes he could.

"We're not married yet and only married boys kiss their wives," L told the boy poking him on the nose.

_**The first time you lost your composure…**_

"New arrivals?" L asked Mr. Wammy who nodded in answer. Lira, however snorted to L's choice of words. It was as if he was referring to the children as if they were packages to be sold at a department store.

"Oohhh.. I hope both of you will become next in line to succeed Mr. Meanie and then, you should defeat this sugar-loving bastard," Lira said and crouched low to smile at the children.

"Well, on that note, I think they should make up for B," Mr. Wammy smiled at L whose eyes widened.

"What? You mean I'll baby sit them? I thought I was through with that phase already!" L retorted.

_**My first kiss…**_

"Dad!" Mello exclaimed. "Have you ever kissed mom?" L almost choked on his chocolate.

"Yeah, why don't you kiss mom? How can we be a family if the father does not kiss the mother?" Matt agreed. "Dad, will you kiss mom for me? Just for today. I'll take that as your birthday gift for me," he continued while fitting on his goggles. L gulped hard. This could be the effect of the movies that Lira had watched with Matt. He would be sure to tell her off once this is all over.

"Yeah, go on, dad!" Mello said, cheering L on. L had no choice because the children were pressuring him. How could Lira just sit there and stare at him? Slowly, he bent over to Lira and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek just like what Matt did.

"No fair! On the lips, dad! Just like in the movies!" Matt said, beating L on the arm while Mello nodded vigorously. L took another deep breath and landed a peck on Lira's lips. It felt so good to L, like a very sweet strawberry shortcake. When they broke apart, L touched his lips with his fingers in wonder. Did he really just do that? Apparently, it was a yes for when he looked at Lira, it was to see the girl touching her lips in amazement too.

"Well," L started but his throat seemed constricted.

"I can say that that was an – interesting experience" Lira finished for him.

_**You were there to comfort me when Near first came to us…**_

"N – Near. Name him N – Near. And t – take my s – surname. Name him N – Near River," The woman said before her eyes widened as she took one last agonizing breath and her hold on Lira's hand sagged. The woman died of childbirth. Lira was shocked and stared for a while at the dead woman's body. She never even found out her name.

"Come on," L put his hand around Lira again and hugged her. It was the best he could do to comfort Lira who sobbed quietly onto his white shirt. He did not even care if she soiled his shirt. Her grief is his grief. That, he was sure of.

_**The first time I felt true love…**_

"Well, alright. Its goodbye for us, then," Lira said, smiling for the last time.

"Yeah, I think so," L said and Lira turned her back to L. The man however had to succumb to the impulses that his body sent him for the last time for it would be a very long time, maybe never at all that he would feel them again, he grabbed hold of Lira's arm and turned her around.

"I asked you to promise me one last thing then before we part," He said as he stared at those hazel eyes. He was very determined to remember every single inch of her for it may be the last time he may ever see her again.

"Anything then," Lira replied, clutching at L's shirt for support as L dragged her closer.

"Promise me that you'll always be my baby," the man said and they shared their last passionate kiss as Wammy House orphans.

_**So why do you have to leave me all alone? Was it all just a show? I loved you L. I'll never forget you…**_

Lira kept to herself during the brief funeral for L and Watari. She clearly avoided any close contact with Light, assuming that now that her protector is gone, he would bully her to no end and torture her mind a little more with the fact that she knows who Kira is but obviously, she cannot tell. With the data deletion that L had instructed, no evidence would be there now to support her claim. Lira could have hacked it if she wanted to but she decided to respect L's last order. Light was a smart one. He had planned everything too well. He thrived in her loneliness and was probably glad to see her crumble to a thousand pieces as she wept silently.

The investigation team gave her all the support she need but she really cannot take any of it. Soon, Wedy, Aiber and the board members of the Yotsuba group died before her. She couldn't take it anymore. Anyway, there was no more reason to stay not that L had died. She decided to head back to the place where it all began: The Wammy House.

Being back at that orphanage wasn't really a comfort. Mello and Mat were being such babies, bawling out about how L had never said a word before he died. Lira also grew tired with Mello and Near biting each one's head off, competing to be L's successor. Lira decided to leave the orphanage and find he own way in the outside world. She has nothing more to do with the Kira case. Everything she knows about it, she left in the past. All except for one thing: she would never forget L, the only one who had touched her heart and the only one she would love forever.

* * *

_A few years later…_

Lira sighed as she stared at the diamond ring on her finger. It was her engagement party tonight. She found someone who was willing to love her for the rest of her miserable life. Light had decided not to kill her for reasons unknown. Maybe it was his respect of her as a mentor or maybe just out of pure pity or he just really doesn't care at all. Being alive wasn't really a gift for Lira through those years. She had struggled to work and finally became the boss of her own company thanks to the financial help that the sister companies of The Wammy House had given her. She had met Gakuto [2] after that and they befriended each other and started going out. He asked her to marry him and she accepted which led to this even tonight.

As Lira stepped out of the curtains leading towards the stage and held her fiancée's hand, she bit her lip and both advanced forward, waving to the crowd of people in front of them. She glanced sideways to her lover and realized that her heart was still empty after all.

That night, she has proven the exact same thing that B had failed to prove during the Los Angeles Straw Doll Murder Case: nothing – even in a thousand years – can replace the original.

"_Your husband will be a very, very luck guy," L remarked._

"_I wonder then when I will marry," Lira said sarcastically._

"_Oh, don't be in such a hurry at that. Take care of your heart," L said._

----END----

* * *

Lyrics posted in this chapter are from the following:

Suki Dakara from the anime Bokura Ga Ita

Aozora no Namide from the anime Blood+

Other notes:

[1] - "cake cures all emo" is a quote I found in a fanfic and a fanart and I really liked the concept so why not have L cure Lira's emo?

[2] - Though I'm not much of a Prince of Tennis fan, I've taken a liking to Gakuto Mukahi mainly because of his stupidity. While thinkin of a name for Lira's new 'guy' that was the first thing that popped out of my crazy mind. :)

Thank you for reading until the end. God Bless you always!


	14. Extra Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

----Extra Chapter----

---- Return----

* * *

Lira stared worriedly at the child running aimlessly around the garden. She have always loved children but Hikari just had so much energy stored in her body, Lira had to admit that taking care of the child was more troublesome than before and that she is already getting a little old. She had been married with her husband, Gakuto and her company is running steadily, if not, getting more successful each year.

She never thought that she would like to have children with Gakuto, though. She never thought they were that compatible to be able to make children. Yes, he was a gentleman who cares about her needs and understands what she feels just by the smallest frown upon her face, but something that even she could not point out was missing, leaving a big, gaping hole in their relationship. She never thought she'd meet someone who could understand her better than her first love. Other than _him._

Right after she got married, Lira had decided to cut her communication lines with everyone she knew from Wammy House. She had asked kindly for Near to leave her alone. She would never want to go back to that wretched place where she lost everything that's important to her. No, she wanted to completely forget everything that happened there and start anew with her family. Near understood after her explanation and agreed that he will leave her alone unless she was badly needed. Lira had wished that that day would never come.

"Mama!" Hikari threw her arms open as she deliberately jumped into her mother's lap. Lira just smiled and began combing her daughter's hair, gathering them into two ponytails on each side of her head. Hikari was the reason Lira never wanted the day when Near would need her to ever come. She does not want her daughter to be exposed to the harsh world of criminals and unsolved cases. As much as possible, she wanted to paint a perfect world for her daughter so that she may never know of the cruelty of humans in the outside world.

It was a normal day at the company as Lira sat behind her desk at the president's office, her secretary coming over occasionally to give her some reports or ask her to sign some documents. Besides that, Lira checked into some stuff in her computer, editing something here and there. She completely halted her activities in the computer, however, when she felt a glitch. She froze in her seat, staring as the monitor blinked at her mockingly. Her system has been hacked. How could someone get through the perfect firewall she made for her company herself? Nobody had ever thought of that kind of firewall before and she doesn't like the idea of somebody being better than her. That was something she had picked up from _him._

Just as suddenly as her monitor had flickered, an image started bouncing around her screen. _Lira Valentine_. She cringed at seeing her maiden name bouncing around her monitor enthusiastically. Reacting quickly, she picked up the phone and called all the departments, confirming the damage herself. She fired up upon hearing that all the departments are also suffering from the same fate and quickly ordered to cut any outside connections in the system and prepare backups of all the files to prepare for the worse. She knew her company would suffer if the connections are severed even for just a minute but the damage has already been done by some freak bastard who was probably born to piss out people just for the fun of it. She was about to slide out of her seat just to see how much damage had been done but her screen flickered once again to display a message that hurt her eyes because of too much color. It looks so much like a digital hostage letter more than anything else.

_Hisashiburi,_

_I'm sure you're in tenterhooks just seeing you system this messed up. Don't worry; if you abide by my conditions, you can have your system in full working conditions by the end of this day, with no damage on it's memory whatsoever. I must admit that it took about ten people to break into your system. You're impressive, as always. I'll be dropping by sometime later to discuss my conditions. Have a nice day._

Lira had to control her urge to stick her foot in the monitor after reading that very arrogant message sent to her by that ass of a hacker. How could she easily agree on his conditions when he disabled the company's connections? And he's going to drop by, he said. That's great; she could just strangle him to death the moment he steps inside her office and get all these anger over with. However, something in the message was amiss. She re-read it again and there she found it. _Hisashiburi._ Being familiar with the language it was from she had completely understood it. She probably missed it at the first reading because it's in roman letters, just like the rest of the stupid message. _It's been a while. _It might be a coincidence or maybe, her past has caught up with her once again.

Moments later, her secretary was knocking once again on her office door, saying that someone wanted to meet her and that the visitor was claiming that he had pre-arranged a meeting with her but refuses to say his name, saying that she would know who it was immediately. Lira was quite befuddled by this but agreed to meet the visitor, anyway. He might be the bastard of a hacker who does not know who he is playing with. The door was held open by her secretary and in entered Lira's fateful visitor.

She could not mistake him. The white hair and clothes that looked more like a pair of pajamas than a proper working attire and the clumsy way of walking. He's grown so much since she last saw him. He was definitely taller and looked more like an adolescent than a little kid. He's growing quite slowly for a boy already in his twenties.

"It's been a while, mom," The visitor greeted, sitting himself on the leather couch without being asked to do so.

"Near," Lira addressed the visitor, sitting herself opposite him. "I don't think that you visiting here is good news," she continued.

"I came here to rescue your system," Near said, throwing a disc at Lira, which the latter caught.

"What's this?" the woman asked, staring at the disc blankly.

"That's the program to get through your firewall. I had to find the best people in Silicon Valley to write that. I think it will help in strengthening your firewall after what happened," the man opposite her explained.

"You mean you – " Lira was at loss for words, knowing how much this man went through just to break into her system.

"Yes, I was the one who did this and sent you that message. I need to get your attention; otherwise you might not want to speak to me. I guess I took it too far," Near shrugged.

"Yes you did! Do you know how much money would be lost if we don't get the system working immediately?" Lira almost shouted.

"The people I hired are taking care of the transactions as we speak. I have diverted the transactions to pass through us while we do our little, uh, for lack of a better word, negotiation. I'll send them immediately after you agree to my conditions," the man continued, now shuffling some cards that he took out of his pocket.

"Let's hear it then," Lira said, fearing the worse.

"I need you to work for me again," he replied simply.

"And why would I do that?" Lira raised an eyebrow and folded her arms on her chest.

"You would save Japan's foundations if you do this for me."

"Can't anyone else do it?"

"You're the only one who can, I'm afraid."

"Ok, let's say I agreed. But what about my company? What about my family?"

"I will send someone capable enough to manage this company while you're away."

"Near, why me?"

"L trusted you. So do I," Lira flinched at the mention of _his _name, the single letter that changed her.

"But – " whatever Lira was going to say was cut off by Near.

"You've got to choose whether to save this company or not. I promise, after this, I won't bother you again," Lira paused for a while before giving away her answer. The company is also important for her. How could she drop it? Her family is also important for her. Without the company, her family will surely suffer the results too. Hikari will suffer too. After much thinking, she drew a deep breath and gave her answer.

"When am I starting?"

That night, Lira had a hard time explaining everything to Gakuto. Tonight will also be her departure and she will be taking a flight back to Japan with Near. He understood everything and comforted her saying that he will definitely take care of everything while she is away. That's one of the things she absolutely loves about him. He's very understanding and loves her so much. After Hikari had gone to bed, Lira kissed Gakuto goodbye and went out into the night to go back to the place where her worst memories lay sleeping to haunt her once more.

* * *

MYDEADLYLOVER: I just had to get this out of my head since the idea has been stuck there since the last chapter. I had a really big urge to push Lira further into misery. That's how bad I am.


End file.
